DR1 Daily News - Dominican Republic

The Ministry of Culture has annulled the top award from the 31st National Biennial of Visual Arts 2025, disqualifying the winning entry for violating contest rules that prohibit the use of perishable material, Diario Libre reports.

The revoked prize was granted to “Lo que no se saca de raíz, vuelve a crecer” (What is not removed by the root grows back), an installation by artist David Pérez K. The piece, widely dubbed “La Palmita” (The Little Palm Tree) by the public, consisted of a live palm tree planted in a container.

The work was initially awarded the prize on 22 August 2025, but it immediately ignited a firestorm of controversy within the art community. The central debate focused on the work’s ephemeral nature and whether it met the technical standards stipulated in the contest’s guidelines.

The resolution for annulment, signed by Minister Roberto Ángel Salcedo on 22...