“Those were the driving forces that drove the artists – the text continues – to appropriate our territory and focus on research, study, practice and artistic production that turned out to be a great canvas of expressions, echoing through the different disciplines, drawing, painting, engraving, photography, textiles and sculpture, reflecting the commitment that art has with society and its importance within it.”
Who are the winners?
On April 24, the Secretariat of Cultural Management, through the Provincial Directorate of Heritage and Museums, announced at the Government Historical House the winning works of the 1st Bicentennial Provincial Hall of Visual Arts of the Autonomy of Catamarca, which recently They will now be shown to the public.
The 1st Acquisition Prize was awarded to Claudia Pucheta for her textile work “Walking without making a path.” The 2nd. place was obtained by María Estela Moreno with the sculpture “You must drink this water”, and the 3rd. The award went to the photograph “On the West Side of the Valley” by Karim Zaid Ayame. And the honorable mentions went to Giselle Issetta with the painting “Tardecita” and Ada del Valle Cigno with the engraving “Gi’s Garden”.
On that occasion, the award-winning artists thanked the recognition and highlighted the importance of the show: “In these times, it is even more valuable that competitions are held that recognize the work of visual artists. We thank the Government and Culture for supporting this Hall and giving a space to local art,” they noted.
“This first show had as its theme the Bicentennial of the Autonomy of Catamarca, which allowed artists to work, research and produce around our territory, our realities, our cultural diversity. The works that were built from that premise were very interesting,” highlighted the Secretary of Cultural Management, Laura Maubecín, who also pointed out that it is her management’s intention to maintain this room as a cultural policy that encourages local artistic production.
“It was a joy, at the time of the closing of the call, that many artists from the interior of the province participated, also showing us the diversity of expressions, from textiles, ceramics, painting, engraving. It allowed us to value the quality of artists we have and is a bet that in the years to come the salon will continue to be maintained and allow our artists to grow and project themselves,” he added.
The winners
1st Acquisition Prize: Claudia Andrea Pucheta. Her textile work “Walking without making a path” is a metaphor for the preservation of the land in Catamarca. The work questions how we can live and travel on the land without irreparably damaging it, highlighting the importance of enjoying life without harming the environment. Inspired by Ailton Krenak, Pucheta emphasizes interdependence with nature and how every action has an impact. Her art is a call to environmental awareness, inviting us to reflect on our responsibility and the impact of our choices on the fabric of life.
Since she was a child, Claudia Pucheta trained in painting workshops and in the dressmaker’s trade with her mother, integrating both knowledge into her artistic production. She graduated in Painting from the National University of Córdoba (UNC) and her work covers various formats and genres such as painting, video art, performance, installations, photography, and mainly textiles. Since the 90s, she has participated in numerous group and individual exhibitions and in National Salons.
2nd. Acquisition Award: María Estela Moreno. The ceramic work “Should you drink this water?” is an allegory to the old rural water filter of Catamarca, made of local red clay. Shaped like a chakana or Andean cross, it symbolizes the four cardinal points and the seasons of the year, evoking the region’s Inca past. The interior cavity of the piece can be interpreted as the Inca cultivation terraces or, with a more current reading, as some forms of extractive mining. A light blue line symbolizes water, posing the question: “Will you drink this water?”
María Estela Moreno is a ceramist graduated from the National University of Cuyo, a teacher at the University Extension Secretariat of the UNCa. and professor at the Higher Institute of Art and Communication since 2012. Her ceramic sculptures have been exhibited in various museums and selected in important exhibitions such as the National Sculpture Fund.
3rd Prize Acquisition: Karim Zaid Ayame. The photograph “On the West Side of the Valley” captures the essence of the valley landscape, where salt transported by the Zonda wind from the sea is deposited on the sand. At the top of the dune, the wind whispers a song that the author tries to decipher with his eyes closed, while his mouth dries up as if he were singing it himself. The wind softens his skin and a swirl of sand surrounds him at the moment of making a wish.
Born in 1987 in Tinogasta, Catamarca, Karim Zaid Ayame began in the world of photography with a family analog camera. His passion for the visual arts led him to study photography self-taught. Thanks to a scholarship, he obtained his first digital camera. He participated in numerous national and regional exhibitions and salons.
Currently, Karim works on his digital magazine “Plutón”.
1st Mention: Giselle Issetta. In her painting “Little Afternoon,” Issetta fuses traditional painting with contemporary elements to portray a hot street in the north of the city. The work shows tiny characters in Chinese ink walking through a landscape where the dry green of the countryside mixes with fences, dirt and trees like lapachos and drunken sticks. It represents everyday scenes between ochers and earthy yellows, with vines intertwined in precarious constructions. The lack of water combines with heat and wind to create an atmosphere where time seems to stop.
Giselle Issetta was born in Buenos Aires in 1973 and has lived in Catamarca for 21 years. She has a Bachelor of Arts with a specialty in Painting and a Higher Professor of Plastic Arts from the National University of Córdoba. She completed Postgraduate Degrees in Sociocultural Management (UNC) and in Aesthetics and Theory of Culture (National University of Cuyo). She currently works as a teacher at the Higher Institute of Art and Communication of the province and is developing her Final Project of her Architecture Degree.
His work has been exhibited in individual and group exhibitions and salons both in Argentina and abroad, including prominent spaces such as Palais de Glace, Centro Cultural Recoleta and Museo Emilio Caraffa, among others. She received awards and mentions in prestigious salons at the national and regional level.
2nd Mention: Ada Cigno. The engraving titled “Gi’s Garden” encapsulates the story of a woman named Gi, whose garden becomes a symbol of life and resistance in the face of death. For 19 years, Gi has cared for her daughter Paloma, facing death as a constant threat. The garden, full of life and color, becomes a refuge where death does not dare to enter, and Paloma finds security and joy. This garden becomes a landscape that reflects the strength of single mothers who, like Gi, cultivate hope and resist in the face of adversity.
Ada Cigno is a professor of Sculpture (Martín A. Malharro Higher School of Visual Arts in Mar del Plata). She was a teacher at primary, secondary and tertiary levels. Hired by the National Secretariat of Culture, she taught sculpture courses in Tinogasta and Belén (1980-1981). She was director of the “Laureano Brizuela” Provincial Museum of Fine Arts (1978-1980).
He participated in group and individual exhibitions in the country and abroad. He was a juror in provincial and national visual arts competitions. Starting in 2008 he dedicated himself to engraving and drawing.
A new exhibition space for local art
With the creation of this exhibition space, launched in August 2023, the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Sports, through the Provincial Directorate of Heritage and Museums, introduces a new cultural alternative within the framework of the commemoration of the Bicentennial of Autonomy from Catamarca.
In this first edition, the central theme was “Catamarca: from the historical roots we build the future”, subdivided into two axes suggested for the 2023-2024 call. The first, “A common history for a diverse Province,” seeks to recognize our differences as a potential that allows us to develop with greater freedom and equity. The second, “Our roots, expressions of the interior”, highlights the great cultural wealth of our territory, promoting endless expressions, reflections and artistic interpretations.
After an extension of the deadline, the call closed on March 15. On April 17, the jury made up of Cecilia Quinteros, Juan Canavesi and Hugo Albrieu, met to evaluate the works received from various points in the province.
Of the works presented, 22 were selected for the final competition. Cecilia Quinteros, member of the jury, commented on the deliberation: “It has been a very interesting experience. The great power of local artists was notable. We find very well-made works in different disciplines, both by newer artists and those with greater experience.”
Quinteros assured that the selection was “hard work, we had our debates, but we were able to reach an agreement among all the jurors.” Furthermore, he highlighted that the importance of this room lies in the fact that, by being acquired, the works become part of the artistic heritage of the province. “This is very important because the works of art that a province acquires also speak of its history. That is why I consider it to be a very relevant bet, which will allow the local scene to grow more.”
Text: Press Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Sports – Special for Express Magazine
Photos: Ariel Pacheco
The judge
Cecilia Quinteros Macció is from Tucuman, with a degree in Fine Arts from the UNT and in Curation and Art Management. Currently, she is the director of the Timoteo Navarro Museum of Tucumán.
Juan Canavesi, an artist from Córdoba, has a long career at an artistic and teaching level in art courses at universities in Córdoba. In addition, he has served as curator in more than 150 exhibitions.
Hugo Albrieu, from La Rioja, is an artist, cultural manager and art collector. His house also functions as an art space, encouraging the circulation of artists, mainly from NOA.
