With the celebration of its 61st edition, one of the most important art events in Guatemala opens its doors to the public. This is Juannio 2025, a space where art, national talent and creative exhibition converge in the same place. As part of his program, three emerging artists were recognized, and Jorge Mazariegos Rodríguez, one of the Guatemalan references of painting, was awarded with 50 years of experience.
With the awards gala, the exhibition that presents 159 works in total, created by more than 119 artists from 11 countries, including Guatemala, is inaugurated. The exhibition, which will take place from May 29 to July 13, will take place within the temporary hall of the Miraflores Museum, from Tuesday to Sunday, from 9 am to 7 pm. Seek to auction the works of art and emerging talents teachers.
The exhibition, which has been carried out since 1964, also has the purpose of raising funds for its project to include children, youth and adults of limited resources with intellectual disabilities, such as autism, from the Neurological Institute of Guatemala.
Andrés Cordón, executive director of the Latin American art auction Juannio, commented that the event “has always been a platform not only for great teachers, to exhibit their work, but also for emerging artists”, where their works are auctioned.
For the awards, Juannio achieved the participation of 220 emerging artists, of which three winners and two prominent were selected. These are part of the 33 emerging artists exhibited in the gallery, along with 86 other guest artists, including names already established such as Luis Díaz, Moisés Barrios, Diana Fernández and Joaquín Orellana.
In the exhibition there are also pieces of great teachers such as Roberto González Goyri, Efraín Recinos and Magda Eunice Sánchez.
Winners of the Juannio 2025 painting contest, together with the executive director and one of the artists with honorary mention. (Photo: Free Press / Esdras Laz)
Cordón commented that, prior to art exhibition, an open call was made to new artists, of which 220 participated this year. The three winners were selected by the Juannio Organizing Committee, made up of professionals from the artistic field: curators, philanthropists and gallery owners such as Cristina Chiruz Montenegro, Jaime Izaguirre Moreno and Marlos Barrios.
Winners of the Juannio 2025 contest
For this edition, Elda Figueroa was consolidated as the winner of the first place of the gala with her work Night: illusions (Triptych), a piece that, as detailed to Press Libre, arose from his desire to create a landscape based on everyday places that he observed when he returned from work, which inspired her to mix dark colors with small colorful facts in each of her three paintings.
Elda Figueroa winning first place with her work Night: illusions (triptych). (Photo: Free Press / Esdras Laz)
As for the award, Figueroa stressed that it represents great satisfaction and an incentive to continue exploring the traditional, both in technique and in theme – paid and oil – but with a renewed approach.
I think it’s a great gain for me, because I love working in oil and engraving, which is what I do the most. As a woman I feel very satisfied. I know that I would not have achieved this without the support of all the women who have accompanied me: my sisters.
Among his achievements, in 2023 he obtained first place in the call open gallery with his work Four lettersand in 2022 it was selected to participate in the collective exhibition Hunt ourselvesin the New York Apexart gallery, where she presented her work along with the artist Djasmín Morales and her video The box.
Composed of three paintings and daily scenario that are reflected by a single light in the middle of the dark. (Photo: Free Press / Juannio)
The second place went to Javier Sarmiento, for his work Sheilyin which he portrays a friend’s daughter during a visit to San Juan Sacatepéquez. On that occasion he took a photograph that years later he would paint in oil to send it to Juannio. With this piece he sought to portray the pain lived by women from that community who face social differences every day.
Javier Sarmiento, winner of second place for his work Sheilywhich presents a new oil technique. (Photo: Free Press / Esdras Laz)
For his work, he sought to renew his oil style incorporating his tattoo technique with the use of stencil and alcohol.
I started working with stencil and alcohol leaves. With that I made the drawing, instead of doing it with pencil. Then I used Sharpiesthose colors that look a little false, very artificial. I worked the drawing almost until the end with those materials, and only in the end I added oil to complete the colors.
The artist, who currently resides in Milan, Italy, said that this award has been a great motivation:
There were moments in recent years that I thought that perhaps the painting would have to be just a hobbyNot a job. And this award is motivating me to give everything again.
The painting is inspired by a girl from San Juan Sacatepéquez, whom the artist honors in dedicating the name of the work. (Photo: Free Press /Juannio)
The third prize went to Selvin Raúl García, for his work of the series The origins of the world: Itzamnáa piece that arises as part of its research in the archaeological-anthropological line, related to lithic materials.
The work was carried out in raw fabric, without healing, and carboncillo. According to the author, he reflects on “the symbolic content presented from the existence of humanity to the present … It is about returning to the roots, to the oldest, to the most original.”
Selvin Raúl García, winner of third place for his work of the series The origins of the world: Itzamná(Photo: Free Press / Esdras Laz)
Garcia added to the free press: the fact of having obtained a third place I think helps to promote research more, since this artistic proposal is accompanied by academic proposals and foundations.
With a technique that uses the carbon to portray your work on a cloth. (Photo: Free Press / Juannio)
Honorary mentions were also granted to Rolando Madrid, for his work Page Rolando Madridalready Marlon Sigüina, for his work of the series Archaeological Approaches: Governor of Influence Cotzumalguapa 2020-2024.
Recognition to the Juannio 2025 trajectory
This year a special recognition was given to the Guatemalan teacher Jorge Mazariegos Rodríguez for his 50 -year career in national art and his contributions to Juannio.
The artist has been faithful to a vocation he has cultivated for decades. Formed in Spain and with vast experience in teaching, it has portrayed more than four thousand landscapes of the country, inspired by its regions, traditions and folklore.
Rodríguez states that his work is a visual song to Guatemala, a “poetry with colors.” On recognition, he said he was proud, satisfied and excited:
Sometimes there are no words to describe what you feel. These are surprises that hold one life, things that one is not looking for in his career, because one does not live waiting for recognition. But thanks to the fact that there are people who look at the trade of one.
Regarding the emergence of new talents, he stressed:
It is interesting to see the new proposals and inspirations of emerging artists and how contemporary currents follow. I like to meet them. I have gone to art biennials, such as that of Venice or Paris … all that also inspires me: see creativity, the new one that emerges, all techniques. It is part of an artistic maturity process: understanding new generations, understanding their visual languages.
The Guatemalan teacher Jorge Mazariegos Rodríguez for his 50 -year -old career in national art and his contributions to Juannio. (Photo: Free Press / Esdras Laz)