OPEN LETTER TO THE MINISTRY OF CULTURE OF THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC ENGLISH VERSION

To the attention of Mr. Roberto Ángel Salcedo Sanz
Minister of Culture of the Dominican Republic

We, the undersigned: artists, curators, educators, cultural managers, art critics, and individuals committed to the development of a free, critical, and plural culture, address you with concern and resolve regarding Resolution No. 18-2025, dated October 22, 2025, by which the award granted to artist Karmadavis for his work Lo que no se saca de raíz, vuelve a crecer (“What Is Not Uprooted Grows Back”), presented at the 31st National Biennial of Visual Arts, was annulled.

Far from correcting an alleged irregularity, this decision has provoked an even more serious institutional problem: the total disavowal of the work carried out by the official award jury. By unilaterally revoking one of the prizes issued by that evaluation body, without annulling the jury's overall decision, the Ministry establishes a contradictory and untenable precedent. If one awarded work is annulled, why does the rest of the jury’s verdict remain valid? This inconsistency delegitimizes the entire process and leaves the 31st National Biennial of Visual Arts, in institutional terms, without any legitimately granted awards.

Moreover, the resolution is based on a technical criterion disconnected from the field of artistic and cultural practice, rooted in a reductionist interpretation of the regulations that disregards both the conceptual relevance of the artwork and the expert judgment of the jury. By placing a bureaucratic vision above autonomous curatorial deliberation, the Ministry undermines the principles of independence and professionalism that should govern artistic competitions.

For these reasons, we respectfully request that the Ministry of Culture revoke Resolution No. 18-2025, restore the legitimacy of the jury's full decision, and convene a process of review and dialogue aimed at strengthening, rather than weakening, the institutional framework of the National Biennial of Visual Arts.

This moment demands a serious commitment to transparency, respect for professional processes, and the defense of intellectual thought in all its diversity and complexity. We therefore trust that this request will be considered with the democratic, ethical, and social responsibility the situation requires.

October, 2025