BIENAL CONCEPCIÓN, ARTE & CIENCIA
The pilot experience, or “Version Zero”, took place in 2019 with the inter-university support of the University of Concepción (UdeC), the University of Bío-Bío (UBB), and the Catholic University of the Most Holy Conception (UCSC). It was a first effort to co-create interdisciplinary spaces and methodologies together with the community. With “Version One” we sought to deepen that learning and amplify its impact. This edition once again counted on the support of the three universities, as well as backing from the Ministry of Cultures and the Arts and other funding sources.
The Bienal Concepción, Art & Science – Version One was held from October 17 to 21, 2022, in collaboration with the community of the coastal village of Coliumo, Biobío Region. Artists, scientists, and local community members joined in dialogue and co-creative exchange, strengthening the bonds of trust woven since the first Bienal, especially around the educational community of the Caleta del Medio Elementary School. It was also an occasion to extend those ties toward the university community, diverse audiences in Concepción, and—through digital platforms—everyone interested in exploring the dialogue between arts, sciences, nature, and community.
The Bienal unfolded through two main milestones: “Travesía a Mar” and “Zona Costera”—the South American Open Call for Art, Science, and Community.
“Travesía a Mar” was conceived as an act of heritage rescue and disciplinary integration. It involved navigating between art and science activities, sailing from Dichato to the Coliumo pier. In collaboration with the Caleta del Medio school community, the event included a creative record to document this rite through participatory methodologies developed between invited teaching artists and the school’s students.
“Zona Costera” exhibition was the result of a South American Call for works that involved Art, Science, and Community. It presented a curatorial selection of contemporary art–science works that provided both form and conceptual references for this edition. The interdisciplinary curatorial team established two categories: works and projects.
In the works category, six pieces were selected from Chile-based artists, plus up to two from other Latin American countries. These were presented in a collective exhibition at the UCSC Extension Center.
In the projects category, eight initiatives at the intersections of art, science, and community were shared—projects in artistic or environmental education and research. These were presented as audiovisual capsules, screened as an opening for the Circular Conversation, a day of dialogue bringing together agents from the arts, sciences, territories, and the Bienal’s public, held at the Aula Magna of the University of Bío-Bío and streamed live on the Bienal’s social networks.
You can read here an article publish in “Endemico” magazine (link) and dowload the catalogue of the bienal here (link).
References
Sáez Gutiérrez, N., Oyarzún Dunlop, F., & Camaño Saavedra, M. (2025). Bienal Concepción: Reflexiones y principios de un entorno co-creativo para artistas, científicos/as y la comunidad educativa de Caleta del Medio, Coliumo. En N. Carrasco Henríquez, P. Fuentealba, & N. de Cortillas (Eds.), Habilitantes para el diálogo intercientífico. Universidad de Concepción.
Álvarez Chávez, Lorena. 2022. “I Bienal Concepción, Arte & Ciencia: el agua como portal de acceso a tiempos profundos.” Endémico, October 26, 2022. Accessed [date]. https://endemico.org/i-bienal-concepcion-arte-ciencia-el-agua-como-portal-de-acceso-a-tiempos-profundos/
Selected press
Farcodi. (2022, November 22). Bienal Concepción Arte + Ciencia cerró su primera edición, apostando por la transdisciplinariedad. FARCODI. https://farcodi.ubiobio.cl/sin-categoria/2022/11/22/bienal-concepcion-arte-ciencia-cerro-su-primera-edicion-apostando-por-la-transdisciplinariedad/
El Mostrador. (2022, October 14). Bienal de arte y ciencia en Concepción. El Mostrador. https://www.elmostrador.cl/cultura/2022/10/14/bienal-de-arte-y-ciencia-en-concepcion/
Ministerio de las Culturas, las Artes y el Patrimonio. (n.d.). Concepción acoge la primera Bienal Arte + Ciencia con representantes de Chile, Argentina y Brasil. https://www.cultura.gob.cl/agendacultural/concepcion-acoge-la-primera-bienal-arte-ciencia-con-representantes-de-chile-argentina-y-brasil/
Endémico. (n.d.). I Bienal Concepción Arte + Ciencia: el agua como portal de acceso a tiempos profundos. https://endemico.org/i-bienal-concepcion-arte-ciencia-el-agua-como-portal-de-acceso-a-tiempos-profundos/
Universidad de Concepción Noticias. (n.d.). Bienal Concepción Arte + Ciencia. https://noticias.udec.cl/tag/bienal-concepcion-arte-ciencia/
Diario Concepción. (2023, February 21). Bienal Arte + Ciencia expone parte de su primera versión en Casa del Arte. https://www.diarioconcepcion.cl/cultura/2023/02/21/bienal-arte-ciencia-expone-parte-de-su-primera-version-en-casa-del-arte.html
Diario Concepción. (2022, September 28). Travesía a mar abre primera versión de Bienal Concepción Arte + Ciencia. https://www.diarioconcepcion.cl/cultura/2022/09/28/travesia-a-mar-abre-primera-version-de-bienal-concepcion-arte-ciencia.html
Diario Concepción. (2022, July 15). Bienal Concepción Arte + Ciencia dio a conocer seleccionados. https://www.diarioconcepcion.cl/cultura/2022/07/15/bienal-concepcion-arte-ciencia-dio-a-conocer-seleccionados.html
Diario Concepción. (2022, March 31). Bienal Concepción Arte + Ciencia hace llamado para participar en edición 2022. https://www.diarioconcepcion.cl/cultura/2022/03/31/bienal-concepcion-arte-ciencia-hace-llamado-para-participar-en-edicion-2022.html
Farcodi. (2019, April 10). Bienal Concepción Arte y Ciencia. Diario Concepción. https://www.diarioconcepcion.cl/sociales/2019/04/10/bienal-concepcion-arte-y-ciencia.html
YouTube. (2019, April 3). Bienal Concepción Arte + Ciencia. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JoJM4BAGbg
El Mostrador. (2019, April 3). Bienal Concepción Arte + Ciencia reunirá a artistas, científicos y la comunidad local. https://www.elmostrador.cl/cultura/2019/04/03/bienal-concepcion-arte-ciencia-reunira-a-artistas-cientificos-y-la-comunidad-local/
Saras Institute. (n.d.). Saras participa de inédita Bienal de Arte + Ciencia en Chile. https://saras-institute.org/es/saras-participa-de-inedita-bienal-de-arte-y-ciencia-en-chile/
TIEMPOS DE MURALISMO
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PROYECTO ROBSONELLA
Scientific illustration addresses concrete problems of visualization in research, thought, and the c
ARTS + SCIENCE KNOWLEDGE BUILDING & SHARING IN XXI (ASKXXI)
Between 2017 and 2019, I co-directed ASKXXI, the first art + science diplomacy program linking Chile