Cuernavaca Celebrates First Painting Biennial, Exploring Art's Evolving Boundaries

Cuernavaca, Morelos, is celebrating the inaugural edition of its Bienal de Pintura, an art exhibition that probes the boundaries of the painting genre. The jury's selection challenges traditional notions, questioning whether works made with colored pencils, or those consisting solely of a canvas frame, or even sculptures supporting the artwork, still qualify as painting.

"The objective is to show a first pictorial sample, not in the strict sense, but of all the possibilities of painting that are happening in Morelos," explained Fabiola Valdés, deputy director of research at the Museo Morelense de Arte Contemporáneo Juan Soriano (MACC). The state-wide call for entries received 380 submissions, highlighting significant local artistic activity.

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The objective is to show a first pictorial sample, not in the strict sense, but of all the possibilities of painting that are happening in Morelos.

The biennial, hosted at the MACC, is a collaborative initiative with the Griselda Hurtado foundation. Hurtado, a restaurateur who began collecting art 18 years ago, aims to boost the local art scene. The three top winners will have their works added to the museum's collection, and the first-place winner will receive a solo exhibition at the Epifanía gallery.

Curated by Cisco Jiménez, the selection of 40 works by 37 artists is described as a "mirror of the activity, creativity, and aspirations" of Cuernavaca, while also reflecting its "fears and frustrations." The exhibition includes diverse pieces, from a map of Cuernavaca to paintings depicting cities in flames and "action figures" made of toys representing political figures. Other unconventional works utilize materials like plaster debris, metal structures, and recycled packaging, pushing the definition of painting.

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mirror of the activity, creativity, and aspirations, but also of its fears and frustrations.