Chilean Sculptor Mauricio Guajardo Wins Argentina’s Chaco Biennial

Art & Culture · Southern Cone

Chilean sculptor Mauricio Guajardo has won the top prize at the 2026 Bienal Internacional de Esculturas del Chaco in Argentina, carving a first-place finish out of a field drawn from 70 countries.

A Chilean Wins the “World Cup of Sculpture”

The Bienal del Chaco is often called a world cup of sculpture, staging live carving before large public audiences in Resistencia. Guajardo’s first place puts a Chilean at the top of one of Latin America’s most prestigious sculpture events.

His entry, “Cubo Etéreo,” plays on paradox: taking stone, the heaviest and most ancient of materials, and making it seem to float. Judges rewarded that conceptual ambition alongside technical skill.

How the Competition Works

The 2026 edition received 439 applications from 70 countries. A jury weighing career and quality narrowed the field to ten sculptors who competed on site.

Each finalist works in the open air, on a strict schedule, with the public watching and even voting. The format turns a fine-art contest into a civic spectacle.

Art for the Public Square

A defining feature of the biennial is that the finished sculptures stay in Resistencia’s streets and plazas. Over decades the city has amassed an open-air collection that has become part of its identity.

That policy of democratizing access sits behind the event’s reputation. Art here is not locked in galleries but woven into daily life.

The Regional Read-Through

For the Southern Cone’s cultural map, Guajardo’s win underscores how deeply Chilean and Argentine art scenes are intertwined. Cross-border recognition of this kind reinforces the region’s shared artistic ecosystem.

For Resistencia, the biennial remains a rare case of a mid-sized city punching far above its weight in global culture. It draws talent and visitors well beyond Argentina’s northeast.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who won the 2026 Bienal del Chaco?

Chilean sculptor Mauricio Guajardo won First Prize with his work “Cubo Etéreo,” which seeks to make stone appear to float.

Where is the Bienal Internacional de Esculturas del Chaco held?

It takes place in Resistencia, the capital of Chaco province in northern Argentina, where finished works are installed in public spaces.

How competitive is the biennial?

The 2026 edition drew 439 applications from 70 countries, from which just ten finalists were chosen to compete on site.

Sources

• Diario Norte
• La Nación