6 NOV ’25 - 15 FEB ’26
Guatemala City and Antigua Guatemala
24 BIENAL DE ARTE PAIZ
CONCEPT
Curated by Eugenio Viola, ‘The Tree of the World’ spans several locations in Guatemala City and Antigua Guatemala. It is inspired by the “Tree of Life”, an archetypal myth central to several ancient traditions. In the Mayan cosmogony, ‘The Tree of the World’ represents the axis mundi, the connections between the different levels of existence.
‘The World Tree’ is conceived as a decentralized, multi-layered system that challenges traditional geopolitical frameworks while connecting cultural genealogies from Meso and Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Oceania. In a world where global connectivity often coexists with growing intolerance, it functions as a counter-mapping of resistance and regeneration.
Like the synaptic mapping of the “dendritic tree” in neuroscience, which traces the complex connections within neural networks, ‘The World Tree’ draws a constellation of voices, a fluid diagram of human relationships, social ties and cultural exchanges.
‘The World Tree’ links different times and experiences - the horizontal and the vertical, the ancestral and the present, the collective and the individual, the ephemeral and the utopian, rupture and regeneration. It draws on the shared history of humanity to rethink how we should approach identity and diversity, unity and multiplicity.
Rooted in the transformative power of art, ‘The World Tree’ employs its potential to provoke reflection, evoke emotion and inspire action. It celebrates art's ability to connect distant universes and to embrace and respect all possible differences.
24 BIENAL DE ARTE PAIZ
CURATOR
Eugenio Viola is an Italian art critic and curator specializing in the experiences and theories related to performance and body poems
By occupying a unique space in the contemporary art scene, his career spans continents and hemispheres, interweaving curatorial practices, interdisciplinary research, and academic teaching.
Viola holds a doctorate in Methods and Methodologies of Archaeological and Art Historical Research from the University of Salerno and has curated more than 100 exhibitions worldwide, including the Italy Pavilion at the 59th Venice Biennale (2022) and the Estonia Pavilion at the 56th Venice Biennale (2015). He is currently the Artistic Director of MAMBO – the Museum of Modern Art of Bogotá in Colombia.
Commenting on his appointment, Viola declared: "I feel honored and grateful to have been selected as the curator of the 24th Paiz Art Biennial in Guatemala, which occupies a significant place in the Mesoamerican and Latin American artistic landscapes with resonance in the broader international context. In an increasingly interconnected yet fragmented world, art is a powerful medium for reflection, challenge, and inspiration. It can offer different perspectives on reality, presenting alternative views to the contradictions of our contemporary era. Art can promote inclusion, creating bridges between distant universes to reconnect and reconcile different perspectives, cultures, and times. With these ideas in mind, I envision a polyphonic, inclusive, and participatory project. It will resonate with the complex network of languages, religions, cultures, and historical perspectives that shape our globalized society, while engaging with Guatemala's rich and multicultural artistic ecosystem, which I have already had the privilege of experiencing throughout my career. I am sincerely grateful to the selection committee for entrusting me with this role and believing in my abilities. I commit to approaching this prestigious nomination with the utmost ethical awareness and responsibility, while maintaining the esteemed legacy of the Biennial and contributing to its future. I am eager to embark on this journey and look forward to the vibrant and enriching experiences that this Biennial will surely bring."
Eugenio Viola Born in Naples in 1975, Eugenio Viola, Ph.D., is the current Artistic Director of MAMBO – Museum of Modern Art of Bogotá in Colombia, where he has curated the first institutional exhibition in Colombia of artists such as Voluspa Jarpa, Alexander Apóstol, Ana Gallardo, Naufus Ramírez-Figueroa and Dor Guez As Senior Curator of the Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts (PICA) in Perth, Australia (2017-2019), he curated the first institutional exhibitions in Australia of Kimsooja, Amalia Pica and Cassils.
At the MADRE Museum in Naples, Italy (2009-2016), Viola held various curatorial positions, curating retrospective exhibitions dedicated to Vettor Pisani and Giulia Piscitelli; the first major institutional exhibitions in Italy of Boris Mikhailov and Francis Alÿs and a complex site-specific project by Daniel Buren. Viola has also collaborated with numerous international institutions, curating exhibitions for artists such as Su Huy-Yu (MOCA – Museum of Contemporary Art Taipei 2023); Giulia Cenci (Centro Cultural Recoleta Buenos Aires 2023); Regina José Galindo (PAC-Milan 2014 / Frankfurter Kunstverein Frankfurt 2016); Karol Radziszewski (CoCA – Center for Contemporary Art Znaki Czasu Torun 2014); Mark Raidpere (EKKM – Museum of Contemporary Art Tallinn 2013); Marina Abramović (PAC – Milan 2012); Francesco Jodice (MSU – Museum of Contemporary Art Zagreb 2011) ORLAN (MAMC – Museum of modern and contemporary art Saint Etienne 2007) among others. He has edited more than 60 catalogues and books and is a member of IKT – International Association of Curators of Contemporary Art and CIMAM – International Committee for Museums and Collections of Modern Art.
Sonia Hurtarte, Executive Director of Fundación Paiz, comments: "We are honored to welcome Eugenio Viola as the curator of the XXIV Paiz Art Biennial. His vast experience and visionary approach resonate deeply with the Paiz Foundation's mission of using art as a catalyst for social change and education, reinforcing our commitment to these ideals. By blending the global and the local, Viola's experience enriches the international reach of the Biennial and advances our mission of promoting contemporary art in Guatemala, also providing a platform that fosters international visibility for Guatemalan artists. His curation is destined to explore critical themes, presenting artists from diverse backgrounds and generations, ensuring a Biennial that is not only relevant, but also transformative for the artistic community and the general public. It is a cultural exchange that will nurture national talent, foster broader dialogue and strengthen Guatemala's local artistic ecosystem, enhancing appreciation and participation in contemporary art. We are excited to present the XXIV Paiz Art Biennial, as we navigate these transformative times for art in Latin America, Eugenio Viola emerges as the ideal curator to cultivate and amplify this enthusiasm within the global artistic community."
24 BIENAL DE ARTE PAIZ
ARTISTS
Artistas y obras participantes de la 24 Bienal de Arte Paiz
24 BIENAL DE ARTE PAIZ
VENUES
Conoce las sedes de la bienal y planifica tu visita
Información sobre horarios y ubicaciones de cada una de las sedes en Antigua y Ciudad de Guatemala
OFFICIAL HEADQUARTERS
Antigua Guatemala
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Plazuela Central de Santa Ana #55, Santa Ana Village, La Antigua GuatemalaHorario
Wednesday to Sunday: 10 - 17 hSaturdays: 10 - 18 h
Hours
Wednesday to sunday: 10 – 17 hSaturday: 10 – 18 h
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Palacio de los Capitanes Generales, 5a Calle Poniente, Antigua GuatemalaHorario
Tuesday to Sunday: 10 - 18 hHours
Tuesday to sunday: 10 – 18 h -
6a Ave Norte between 3a and 4a Calle Poniente, Antigua GuatemalaHorario
Monday to Sunday: 9 - 18 hHours
Monday to sunday: 9 – 18 h -
1a Calle Poniente and Calle Recoletos, Antigua GuatemalaHorario
Monday to Sunday: 9 - 17 hHours
Monday to sunday: 9 – 17 hPago por ingreso
Q.5 (guatemaltecos), Q.50 (extranjeros) y gratis para estudiantes con carnet
Admission fee
Q.5 (guatemalans), Q.50 (foreigners) and free entry for students with ID
GUATEMALA CITY
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7 Avenida 11-66, zone 1Horario
Monday to Friday: 8 - 16 h
Sábado: 8 – 12 hHours
Monday to friday: 8 – 16 h
Saturday: 8 – 12 h -
7 Avenida, 11-67, zone 1Horario
Monday: 9 - 17 hTuesday to Friday: 9 - 18 h
Sábado: 9 – 16 hHours
Monday: 9 – 17 hTuesday to friday: 9 – 18 h
Saturday: 9 – 16 h -
8 Avenida A 12-58, zone 1Horario
Monday to Friday: 8 - 16 h
Sábado: 8 – 12 hHours
Monday to friday: 8 – 16 h
Saturday: 8 – 12 h -
Second Level Lux Building (6 Avenida 11-02, zone 1)Horario
Tuesday to Saturday: 10 - 19 hHours
Tuesday to saturday: 10 – 19 h -
6 Avenida, between 6 and 8 streets, zone 1Horario
Lunes a domingo: 9 – 16 hHours
Monday to sunday: 9 – 16 h -
11 Ave. 33-32, zona 5Horario
Monday to Friday: 10 - 17 h
Sábado: 10 – 16 hHours
Monday to friday: 10 – 17 h
Saturday: 10 – 16 h
COLLATERAL ROUTES
The collateral routes are independent initiatives that within the framework of the biennial have a complementary agenda of value. Each contributes to Guatemala's cultural and economic ecosystem.
Collateral Event
ANTIGUA GUATEMALA SIDE EVENTS
Exhibition - Pepo Toledo
Retrospective
November 3, 2025 - February 15, 2026
Santo Domingo del Cerro
(Km. 42.5 Santa Ines del Monte Pulciano, Antigua Guatemala)
Group exhibition - Fragmentum Gallery
Duality Nexus: Introspective bonds
November 6, 2025 - February 15, 2026
Tuesday to Saturday: 9:30 a.m. - 6 p.m.
4ta calle Oriente No. 52, Antigua Guatemala
Exhibition - CIRMA
chronicles through the lens
November 6 - December 12, 2025
January 6 - February 16, 2026
Monday to Friday: 9 - 17 h
5a Calle Oriente No. 5, Antigua Guatemala
Exhibition - Fragmentum gallery
Maira Handal & José Retana - duality nexus
November 9, 2025
10 h
Exhibition by the artists Maira Handal & José Retana
4a. calle Oriente, No.52, Antigua Guatemala
Exhibition
David Diaz, Shipibo-Konibo. Portraits of my blood
November 6, 2025 - February 15, 2026
Capuchin Convent “El Coro” (2a Avenida Norte and 2a Calle Oriente corner, Antigua Guatemala)
GUATEMALA CITY SIDE EVENTS
Exposición – Andrés Curruchich y su legado permanente
13 DE ENERO 2026 – 30 DE ENERO 2026
6:00 p. m. a 9:00 p. m.
Museo Ixchel del Traje Indígena
Pago de parqueo: Q40.00 (únicamente pago en efectivo)
Museo de la Radio
Previa cita: 5842-3805
Radio en Línea: Panamericana Internacional
Exposición – Centro américa Red de arte
20 DE ENERO 2026
11:00 AM
La Galería Rebelde
(Km 7.5 Plaza Empresarial Muxbal, Suite #3,
Carr. Muxbal)
Exhibition - THE MAYAN ROUTE
November 6, 2025 - February 15, 2026
Monday to Sunday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Spanish Cooperation Training Center
(6a Av. Norte, Antigua Guatemala)
Exhibition - The Rebel Gallery
Ishmael Randall-Weeks, Parable
November 6, 2025
17 - 21 h
Plaza Empresarial Muxbal, Suite #3, Carr. Muxbal, Guatemala City
COLLECTIVE Exhibition - Gallery EXTRA
“IF they carry water, they are rivers. If not, they are roads.” Humberto Ak'abal
November 6, November 2025 - February 13, 2026
Monday to Friday: 10 - 16 h
Ruta 4, 7-56, zone 4, Guatemala City, Guatemala.
Book presentation - contemporary dot D
veronica riedel, all the worlds that are in this
November 8, 2025
15 h
Edificio Elma (6th avenue and 8th street Zona 1. Penthouse. Guatemala City)
Exhibition - HOUSEGUEST
AMBER, JULIO ZADIK (1916-2002)
November 20, 2025 - February 21, 2026
Wednesday - Friday: 10 - 18 h
Saturday: 10 - 14 h
10 ave 16-09 zona 10, Guatemala City, Guatemala City
COLLECTIVE EXHIBITION - SUN OF THE RIVER
ART 12
As of December 11, 2025
Monday - Friday: 8:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. / 2 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Saturday: 9 - 13 h
14 ave 15-56 zona 10, Guatemala City, Guatemala.
Gastronomic Route
GASTRONOMIC ROUTE OF GUATEMALA CITY
Chichi restaurant
14 calle 3-48, zona 10, EON Plaza, Guatemala City
Special dish or drink of the Paiz Art Biennial
Royal Treasury
5a. Avenida 14-67, zona 10, Etu Plaza, Guatemala City, Guatemala (+502) 5019-5620
Biennial Special Promotion
altuna
5 Avenida, 12-31, Zona 1, Guatemala City, Guatemala.
Special 10% paella discount promotion. For in-store consumption
Montano's Steak House
12 Calle 3-28, Zona 10, Guatemala City, Guatemala.
Biennial Special Promotion
The victory
13 calle, 4-29 zona 10, C.C. Plaza Fontabella, Second Level, Local 6H,
Guatemala City, Guatemala (+502) 3014-8598
Discount for food or beverage consumption. Special dish or drink of the Paiz Art Biennial
GASTRONOMIC ROUTE OF ANTIGUA GUATEMALA
Hugo's Ceviches
6a Avenida Sur #9, La Antigua Guatemala
Biennial Special Promotion
El Viejo Café
3a Calle Poniente and 6th Avenida Norte #12, La Antigua Guatemala
Biennial Special Promotion
Coffee Artist
5th Avenue South #34 A. La Antigua Guatemala
Biennial Special Promotion
Guatelaria
5a Avenida Norte #33 A, Calle del Arco, La Antigua Guatemala
Biennial Special Promotion
Kaldi & Kapra Coffee House
2a Calle Poniente #2, Casa Mandarina, La Antigua Guatemala
Biennial Special Promotion
Wisdom Cocktail Bar
5a Avenida Norte #30, La Antigua Guatemala
10% at the first cocktail party
The vibes
5a Avenida Norte #30, La Antigua Guatemala
Special Saturday discount: Q50 cover when arriving before 9:30 pm.
Vice Pizzeria Antigua
5a Avenida Norte #30, La Antigua Guatemala
10% discount on account
Laurel bistro
1a. Calle Poniente #9, La Antigua Guatemala
Biennial Special Promotion
Finca La Azotea
November 4 - 9, 2025
Calle del cementerio final Finca La Azotea zona 3 Jocotenanco, Jocotenango Sacatepéquez
By mentioning that you attended the Paiz Art Biennial we will offer a 2×1 in the entrance to the Coffee Museum and 10% discount on the purchase of coffee in any of the presentations.
Book with: Yenny
Argueta and Alejandra Salazar (admin@laazotea.gt)
(+502) 4248-4809 / (+502) 5966-3093
(+502) 7831-1120 / (+502) 783-1129
HOTEL ROUTE
GUATEMALA CITY HOTEL ROUTE
good hotel
Ruta 4 6-32 Zona 4, Guatemala City, Guatemala City
Special lodging rates during the event 24 Biennial
Book with: Clidia Campollo
(+502) 3062-2512
(+ 502) 233-99540
Email; clidia.campollo@goodhotel.co
Hotel Holiday Inn Guatemala
1 Avenida 13-22 Zona 10, Guatemala City, Guatemala.
Special lodging rates during the event 24 Biennial
Book with: Mirza de Rocha
(+ 502) 4149-4187
Hotel Hyatt Centric Guatemala
12 calle 2-25 zona 10, Guatemala City, Guatemala City
ANTIGUA GUATEMALA HOTEL ROUTE
Hotel Camino Real Antigua
7a. Calle Poniente No. 33B, Antigua Guatemala
Special lodging rates during the event 24 Biennial
Book with: Mariela López Piedrasanta
(+502) 4740-9172
(+502) 2410-5030
Email: ventas_cra1@caminorealantigua.com.gt
Adra Hostel
4a Calle Oriente #15, La Antigua Guatemala
Biennial Special Promotion
Hotel Villa Bokéh - Relais & Châteaux
lot C3 of San Pedro Panorama, in Antigua Guatemala, Guatemala
Hotel Museo Spa Casa Santo Domingo
3 Calle Oriente No. 28 “A”, Antigua Guatemala
24 BIENAL DE ARTE PAIZ
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM
The Educational Program of the 24th Paiz Art Biennial seeks to accompany different audiences in the participatory exploration of the works.
The works here become a meeting place, in the experience of creating a relationship.
Designed by the artist and educator Luisa González-Reiche, the program is structured in three axes, which are proposed as follows regenerative paths guided by questionable situations.
You are at questionable situations involve the different audiences in a direct material engagement with the exhibitions to pay attention and be instructed by multiple places, times, subjects and meanings in different configurations.
Art and Power
It explores exercises of power to understand the complexities of today's world and reflects on how to set in motion an affirmative practice of power, as power and as collective political agency aimed at increasing the possibilities of existence rather than reducing them.
Download here the guide for your visit
Internships located
It proposes encounters with works that dialogue directly with the personal experiences of the artists, their conception of identity and/or the recovery of local histories from the body itself or from practices related to the archive and memory. They are works that invite us to think beyond individual identities to always notice ourselves in productive relationships.
Download here the guide for your visit
Art and Regeneration
It brings together artists and works whose work focuses on making visible the causes and consequences of the climate crisis, highlighting opportunities for the regeneration of multiple modes of existence.
Download here the guide for your visit
Tour of Antigua Guatemala
Download here the guide for your visit
Tour of Guatemala City
24 BIENAL DE ARTE PAIZ
PRESS
The 24th Paiz Art Biennial and its projection in the international media
Find out what platforms around the world are saying about the Guatemala Biennial
REVIEWS
Branching out: Around the Paiz Biennial
diciembre 2025
Artforum (United States)
https://www.artforum.com/columns/photo-diary-paiz-biennial-guatemala-1234740328/
When the Tree of the World Breathes: Notes on the 24th Biennial Arte Paiz of Guatemala
November 2025
Segno (Spain)
https://segno.es/index.php/2025/11/18/cuando-el-arbol-del-mundo-respira-notas-sobre-la-24a-bienal-arte-paiz-de-guatemala/
Interviews
The common roots of the Earth
June 2025
Il Giornale (Italy)
Link
Artist announcement
The 24th Paiz Art Biennial Brings Five Continents Together Under the World Tree
September 2025
Arte Al Día (Argentina)
The common roots of the Earth at the Biennial of Arte Paiz
July 2025
Il Giornale dell'Arte (Italy)
The Paiz Foundation Announces Preliminary Artist List for 24th Paiz Art Biennial, “The World Tree”.”
May 2025
International Biennial Association (International)
Link
24th Paiz Art Biennial Announces Preliminary Participants
May 2025
Canvas (Middle East)
https://canvasonline.com/24th-paiz-art-biennial-announces-preliminary-participants/
A bird's eye view: the week's highlights. News
May 2025
Informed Art (Spain)
http://arteinformado.com/magazine/n/a-vista-de-pajaro-las-noticias-destacadas-de-la-semana-7495
Biennale Arte Paiz: the artists of “L'Albero del mondo”.”
May 2025
ArtsLife (Italy)
https://artslife.com/2025/05/13/biennale-arte-paiz-gli-artisti-de-lalbero-del-mondo/
Antônio Pichillá Selected For The 24th Paiz Art Biennial In Guatemala
May 2025
Portas Vilaseca (Brazil)
Faculty member Martin Wannam participating in the 24th Paiz Art Biennial
May 2025
Department of Art and Art History, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (United States)
Curatorial concept announcement
To say, to do, to speak collectively: five Biennials in the world apart
March 2025
Il Giornale dell'Arte (Italy)
Link
Bienal de Arte Paiz announces title and curatorial concept for its 24th edition!
December 2024
International Biennial Association (International)
Link
curaDOR advertisement
Eugenio Viola announced as curator of the 24th Bienal de Arte Paiz in 2025
July 2024
ART AFRICA Magazine (Africa)
Eugenio Viola Announced as Curator of the 24th Bienal De Arte Paiz in 2025
July 2024
International Biennial Association (International)
Link
Eugenio Viola has been nominated curator of the XXIV Paiz Art Biennial 2025
July 2024
Exibart (Italy)
Eugenio Viola Will Be Curator Of The Paiz Art Biennial 2025
July 2024
Artishock Magazine (Chile)
Italian art critic Eugenio Viola to curate 2025 Paiz Art Biennial
July 2024
The Art Newspaper (United Kingdom)
Menciones BIENAL DE ARTE PAIZ & Eugenio Viola
Eugenio Viola is one of the 100 most influential people in the contemporary art world.
December 2025
ArtReview (United Kingdom)
For an Italian Curator, Colombia Is a Place to Make a Difference
September 2024
The New York Times (United States)
As globalisation retreats, art biennials are booming
September 2024
The Financial Times (United Kingdom)
24 BIENAL DE ARTE PAIZ
SPONSORS
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