Notes related to Panama

By María Galarza

For over four decades, Mónica Kupfer has been researching, writing, and curating exhibitions that seek to tell a story of Panamanian and Central American Art that is still under construction. She played a key role in the first edition of Pinta Panamá Art Week, where she coordinated FORO—a regional discussion platform that brought together artists, curators, collectors, and institutions.

With its inaugural edition, Panama Art Week stepped onto the contemporary art stage not as a marketplace for immediate transactions, but as a catalyst for long-term cultural positioning. 

The first edition of Pinta Panamá Art Week was a collective celebration that transformed the city into a major stage for contemporary art and Central American culture. The event welcomed over 650 attendees at its official opening and thousands of visitors throughout the week, with daily activities including exhibition openings, talks, guided tours, and urban experiences. The week was marked by a strong commitment to strengthening and valuing local identity.

As part of Pinta Panamá Art Week, Lo que sueña toda vida takes place—an exhibition project that reflects on ways of living in the Central American country. Curated by Juan Canela and Emiliano Valdés, the program features a series of artistic actions by Felipe Gómez and Jonathan Harker, the Enlaces Program, Libertad Rojo, and Humberto Vélez.

Two spaces that have sought to foster the growth of local art since their inception are part of Pinta Panamá Art Week, where creative energy is palpable. With proposals that combine exhibition, reflection, and audience development, both galleries present themselves as driving forces in an expanding scene shaped by collective work, experimentation, and a shared desire to strengthen the cultural fabric.

After a successful showing in 2024 at this major international platform for contemporary art, the exhibition Surcos: En el cuerpo y en la tierra (Furrows: On the Body and the Land) returns to the country and will open on April 25 at the Museo del Canal in Panama City’s historic Casco Antiguo.

From Thursday, May 22 to Saturday, May 24, the FORO at Pinta Panamá Art Week will take place across various institutions in the city. Curated by Mónica E. Kupfer, the series presents a diverse program featuring both local and international experts. The event is free and open to the general public.

MAC Panamá's Chief Curator Juan Canela, reflects on the challenges of curating in Central America, the value of collaborative practices, and the context of Panamanian art. He is participating in the inaugural Pinta Panamá Art Week, running May 21–25 with activities centered on the local art scene.

Despite its rich, diverse artistic production with deep historical roots, Panama's art market remains limited. With fewer than ten active galleries and no fully established art fair to date, the country’s artistic ecosystem is still in an early stage of development. However, creative energy is clearly present, and 2025 could mark a turning point.

Artist Lorena Torres presents Nada es distinto, a series of paintings that explore personal emotions through a direct relationship between lived experience and gesture. The work functions as an intimate record, where painting operates more as testimony than as aesthetic object.

The Museum of the Mola inaugurated the photographic exhibition Portraits of Struggle: 100 Years of the Dule Revolution by renowned Guna photographer Lois Iglesias.

Pinta Panamá Art Week makes its debut from May 21 to 25. Over five days, it will offer a public program filled with art activities, inviting attendees to explore a city undergoing a cultural boom. This first edition positions Panama City as a key destination on the international art and culture calendar.

The Panarte gallery at the Museum of Contemporary Art of Panama hosts Cúmulus: 10+ Years of Estudio Nuboso, an exhibition celebrating over a decade of collaborative practices at the crossroads of art, science, and ecology.

In the heart of Casco Antiguo, the Museum of Contemporary Art of Panama (MAC) embarks on a new chapter with the opening of its Sala Satélite, a space dedicated to showcasing projects developed from its Permanent Collection. The inaugural exhibition, 60+1 el pequeño gran museo de Ancón (60+1 The Little Big Museum of Ancón), serves as a tribute, a reflection, and an exploration of the museum’s history.

The Museum of Contemporary Art of Panama has opened applications for a prize aimed at supporting the careers of emerging artists in the country through professional training, curatorial guidance, and institutional visibility. The application period will remain open until May 25.