How the Guayaquil Álvaro Noboa Bienniale was born

Published in El Universo Newspaper of Ecuador

by Sergio Pérez

Juan Caguana Winner of the Second Bienale of Painting
Juan Caguana Winner of the Second Bienale of Painting

As the III Biennale of Guayaquil approaches (it opens next April 5, inscription is open until March 5) we should be aware that, in Ecuador, there are but two biennales:  that of Cuenca, and that of Guayaquil.  However, the Guayaquil Biennale is the only one with its own headquarters, the Luis Noboa Naranjo Museum, in memory of a true champion (father of the successful political and philanthropist leader Alvaro Noboa, and located deep within the heart of the banking district, accessible to all.

It occurred to Pablo Martínez Rojas, surviving in Miami and carrying the cultural baggage inherited from his father, the art critic, Luis Martínez Moreno, Zalacaín, to move heaven and earth to in order to acquire the public and private support to make the 1st Miami Biennale a reality. Years later, as a Consul for Ecuador in New York, he was able to maximize the benefits of diplomacy to become closely linked with the Rockefellers, the Hearst family and, above all, with the Kennedys.

These social and professional achievements were some of the reason that the magnate, Álvaro Noboa, recognizing the talent of the young Consul, extended him the invitation to become part of his team as his public relations representative.  That economic capacity, together with the organizational experience acquired in Miami, established the Luis Noboa Museum in Guayaquil, with Pablo Martínez at the head as its director.

In the vispera of inaugurating the III Biennale of Guayaquil, it is necessary to point out the interactive character of the magazine which is able to present large format apocalyptic visual art alongside different musical offering on various floors, as well as an exhibition of paintings executed by disabled children.

In this, the III Bienniale, the Museum maintains its focus on stimulating new proposals by young artists under the critical evaluation of established masters such as Luis Miranda and Mariella Garcia, in previous years.

The democratic character of this Biennale stands out; unlike a Salon, it is not necessary to be invited in order to participate