President Leonel Fernandez and First Lady Margarita Cedeno cut the ribbon during the opening ceremony of the XXIII National Visual Arts Biennial which is being held at the Museum of Modern Art in Plaza de la Cultura. This is the most important exhibition and contest of selected works by Dominican artists and foreigners resident in the country over the past five years. 160 artists were chosen from 862 entries to compete in painting sculpture, drawing, graphic arts, photography, ceramics, installations, video, architecture and performance categories. There are RD$250,000 for winners in the individual categories and a RD$500,000 grand prize award. The exhibition will be open through 6 November. The awards are scheduled to be announced today.
Parallel to the exhibitions at the Museum of Modern Art, a selection of art galleries in the Colonial City and Poligono Central are hosting exhibits for the event. These include Casa de Tostado, Casa de Unesco, Palacio Consistorial, and Quinta Dominica in the Colonial City. And La Galeria, Galeria El Espacio, Lyle O Reitzel Arte Contemporaneo and Galeria Arawak in the Poligono Central.