International Contest of Sculpture “Great Honor Prize 30 years”

Winners of the 10 previous Biennials, held between 1998 and 2016, will participate.

 

As an introductory and learning experience, the Challenge Award will also take place, a sculpture competition in which more
than thirty advanced arts students from schools of arts from all over the country will participate,
students who, surely, will be the future great Argentinean sculptors.

 

Along with the sculptures contests, other cultural activities will take place, activities related to contemporary art,
ephemeral art, interventions, aquatic facilities, collective works with native people,
play-based activities for children, workshops and conferences.

THE SCULPUTURE CONTESTS.
NEVER ENDING PROVIDERS OF AN INCREASING HERITAGE.
From the First Wood Sculpture Contest in the Resistencia Main Square, in 1998, to the International Biennials at the present time, the Government of the Province of Chaco and the Urunday Foundation restlessly work to make out of every Biennial a true celebration of identity of the people of Chaco.
These contests get together prestigious artists from Argentina and all over the world, outdoors and in front of thousands of spectators, creating an original and unique work of art.
These works are made of different non-perishable materials, which are later integrated to public places, such as sidewalks, boulevards and parks of the city, uplifting an unprecedented cultural heritage, changing Resistencia into a modern and unique outdoors museum.
The sculpture contests rapidly turned into an unexpected large festival. More than 380.000 visitors arrive from the most diverse places to turn the site, where the Biennial takes place, into a cultural and social event that brings together artists and people in a same place for multicultural interchange.
The importance reached by the Biennials has inserted Resistencia into the Sculpture Art World and positioned it as an international reference of arts and culture.

Distinctions and recognitions of the Chaco Biennial

The Bienal del Chaco was declared of municipal, provincial and national interest. Declared of tourist interest and recognized with the license Country Brand Argentina by the Ministry of Tourism of the Nation. Declaration of cultural interest by the Organization of American States , the Presidency of the Nation General Secretariat, the Ministry of Culture, the Senate, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Worship, and the House of Representatives of the Province of Chaco. Distinction of high artistic and cultural Interest by the National Arts Academy and the National Fund for the Arts. Acknowledged by the Argentinean Arts Critics Association with the Alfredo Roland award for its cultural development and by Konex Foundation with the Konex award to the Argentinean Visual Arts. From 1997, the permanent support of UNESCO.

Processes Organization Bienal del Chaco are certified to the international quality standard IRAM ISO 9001

Resistencia, the City of Sculptures
Suddenly, in a common place, you meet art, you touch it,
you feel it, you live it and you are amazed…
AND SO, SOME 600 MORE TIMES.

America is a continent of great sculptors, and a scene of a cultural identity, which locates art in natural places, along with daily life in the city. Argentina, even though its different accents, is not an exception. There we find Chaco, a paradigmatic example of this new conception. And in this land, we find Resistencia, its capital city, showing its peculiar spirit to express the language of arts.

Resistencia, The City of Sculptures, is the capital of the Province of Chaco, located in the north of the Argentine Republic. Its outdoors areas offer the generosity of abundant vegetation, and its art, available to all.

As a magic scenario, more than 630 sculptures are shown to the spirit, whose prestigious authors were once brought together to build up this unprecedented Cultural Heritage, which turns the city into a modern and peerless outdoors museum.

Resistencia, the city of the sculptures, is a phenomenon. Not only because the sculptures on its streets, parks or boulevards, but also for its sculptures with and for its people, as a visual continuation of the urban landscape and a creative impression which encourages sensitivity and stimulates imagination.

Since 1998, UNESCO follows these activities and the process to declare Resistencia “World Cultural Heritage” has begun.

  • The City of Resistencia was declared National Capital of the Sculptures by the Congress of the Nation, October 2006 – Law 26.157.
  • In September 2010, The Legislature of the Province of Chaco approved by law the creation of a Committee for the City of Resistencia “The City of Sculptures” with a view to organize activities in order to work on the required international protocols to declare the city “World Cultural Heritage” by UNESCO- Law 6.624.
  • In October 2010, the Mercosur Parliament, declared “Resistencia: Mercosur Capital City of Sculptures” MERCOSUR/PM/SO/DECL. 10/2010.