Palestine to Participate in Ch.ACO Art Fair for the First Time Ever

Original article: Por primera vez Palestina estará presente en Feria Ch.ACO

From March 26 to 29, 2026, the Ch.ACO international contemporary art fair will feature a dedicated art proposal focused on Palestine for the very first time.

This initiative will be presented by Espacio MNWAL, an independent cultural center that has emerged from the Palestinian diaspora in Chile. It will gather a collective of artists whose works engage with themes of memory, mourning, ruins, and resilience in response to today’s political catastrophes.

MNWAL’s curatorial proposal will be housed in a 25-square-meter space, showcasing diverse forms of contemporary art—performance, painting, textiles, sculpture, photography, and illustration. The exhibition aims to reflect on the ongoing Palestinian genocide and its resonance with other current war crimes.

For the past 16 years, Ch.ACO has established itself as a leading event in contemporary art in Chile, connecting galleries, artists, institutions, and audiences. In its 16th edition, over 50 exhibitors from 11 countries will gather in the Vitacura district.

Within this context, MNWAL’s presence at the fair interrupts traditional exhibitions by positioning Palestine as an urgent ethical concern in contemporary art.

«Espacio MNWAL is defined as a gathering place for Palestinians working from the Patronato neighborhood in Santiago. From there, it fosters exhibitions, residencies, and cultural programs aimed at connecting artists, curators, and communities around critical thought and contemporary practices related to Palestine,» stated the organizers of this initiative.

Featured Participating Artists

Among the artists featured in the exhibition is Catalina Zarzar (Santiago, 1992), who holds a Master’s in Visual Arts from the University of Chile and a Bachelor’s in Visual Arts with a specialization in sculpture from the Finis Terrae University. Her work explores the relationship between image and materiality, as well as the symbolic dimension of everyday objects, linking her Palestinian heritage with the memories inscribed in domestic spaces.

The painter Jorge Tacla (Santiago, 1958), now based in New York, will also participate. His work has examined the ruins and devastations of contemporary history for over three decades. By using images of destroyed buildings and devastated public spaces, his paintings transform architectural destruction into a metaphor for the social systems collapsing under political violence.

Additionally, artist Janet Toro (Osorno, 1963) has developed an extensive background in performance, installation, and body action. Her work investigates the vulnerability of the body in the face of power structures, proposing gestures that confront the human experience through memory, resistance, and intimacy.

The complete list of participating artists includes:

Alejandro Feres
Arpilleras de Chiloé
Catalina Zarzar
Claudia Gutiérrez
Janet Toro
Jorge Tacla
María Gabler
Marian Gidi
Mila Belén
Makarena Ceballos and María Jesús de Val
Agustín Cuevas

The Citizen