Notes related to Pinta Panamá

This March, the event will once again take place in Panama City, opening new spaces for exchange to celebrate regional diversity.

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.

A selection of events, activities and cultural proposals bring together artists, curators, collectors and specialists in different parts of Panama City. Pinta Panama Art Week proposes an ambitious agenda from May 21 to 25 with the best of contemporary art in the region.

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.

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.

Panama is preparing to become the epicenter of regional art with the first edition of Pinta Panama, May 21-25, 2025. At an effervescence moment for the local artistic ecosystem, the fair seeks to consolidate the Panamanian scene, promote the circulation of artists and create a meeting space for the artistic currents of Central and South America. Emiliano Valdes, general curator of the project, shares his vision of Panama's potential as a cultural connection point.

Pinta is launching Panamá Art Week in 2025 –May 21 to 25–, an initiative created to foster the integration of the art scene and strengthen and consolidate best practices within the sector.