An attraction always worth a visit, the Museum of Modern Art is now housing the 31st National Biennial of Visual Arts (BNAV). This 2025, the exhibition celebrates the artistic legacy of renowned painter Elsa Núñez and her significant contributions to the nation’s art and culture.
Minister of Culture Roberto Ángel Salcedo, speaking at the opening of the exhibit at the Plaza de la Cultura museum, highlighted how it appeals to all citizens who appreciate and follow the visual arts.
Salcedo announced that he will present to the Executive Branch a draft decree to establish a permanent Biennial Committee to ensure greater stability in its organization. He also revealed that for the 2027 edition, prizes will be increased to make participation more attractive to artists.
The Biennial, organized by the Ministry of Culture since 1942, has become the country’s main platform for showcasing, reflecting on, and promoting visual arts. In this edition, it reaffirms its commitment to celebrating identity, preserving memory, and projecting the future of national art.
Núñez is a recipient of the 2014 National Prize for Plastic Arts. “For me, this tribute is an act of love. A recognition that celebrates not only my work but also the path traveled, with its lights and its shadows,” she said.
The artist reflected on the power of art as a tool for expression and resilience, adding that her work has been a testament to both her time and her inner world. During the event, she was presented with a plaque recognizing her more than six-decade career.
Jury president Raúl Morilla, accompanied by fellow members Lillian Carrasco and Hiromi Shiba, explained that the selection honored both formal and conceptual excellence, as well as the critical capacity of the works to address current issues and enrich national art.
The Biennial’s Grand Prize, worth one million pesos, was awarded to the piece “Ritual de sanación” by artist Lucía Méndez Rivas. Additionally, nine awards of RD$300,000 each were granted, along with two honorable mentions.
The awarded works included:
• “Lo que se saca de raíz vuelve a crecer”, a sculpture by David Pérez
• “Alain”, a photograph by Fued Yamil Koussa
• “Botiquín de abstinencia”, an installation by Jessica Fairfax Hirst
• “Mambo apocalíptico (el merengue del tardígrado)” by José Levi
• “Feria 2025”, a painting by José Morbán
• “El lector”, an installation by the Modafoca collective
• “Raíces sin semillas”, a drawing by Pedro Troncoso
• “Palo vivo: entre raíces y memorias”, an installation by Soraya Abu Nabaá
• “El sueño de la libélula”, a painting by Yéssica Montero
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Ministry of Culture
2 September 2025