Visual Arts: Manuel Ugarte Explores Waiting Times in Public Hospitals Through Large-Scale Painting

Original article: Artes visuales: Con una pintura en gran formato Manuel Ugarte aborda el tiempo de espera vivido en un hospital público durante la pandemia

Curated by Natalia Babarovic and César Gabler, «Waiting Time» will be showcased in the Laboratory Hall of the Valparaíso Cultural Park – Ex Jail, located at Cumming Street 590. Here, the scale and installation invite movement, confronting viewers with a painting that demands physical engagement rather than mere observation, contrasting with the passivity of digital viewing.

This large-format painting encompasses ten panels stretching a total length of 18 meters, depicting both the interior and exterior of a public hospital waiting room. The artwork embodies a recent shared memory: the experience of prolonged waiting, uncertainty, and collective vulnerability during the pandemic.

The project extends beyond the exhibition space. Designed as a reflective device for cultural activation, «Waiting Time» will engage with universities, schools, and local institutions through guided tours and discussions. The aim is for the artwork to serve not just as an object of contemplation but as a catalyst for memory and reflection on public health and the foundational meaning of community building after a shared traumatic experience.

Rather than using a single form of expression, the artist weaves together a tapestry of artistic registers in tension, allowing hyper-realistic sections to coexist with autonomous passages that evoke psychological states through diverse languages that enhance one another. This opens a dialogue about the myriad personal experiences during the suspended time of the pandemic.

With this new work, Manuel Ugarte continues his pictorial trilogy on health, following «The Things». His research examines painting as a space for embodied experience and as a critical alternative to the digital image.

Valentina Gallardo, acting executive director of the Ex Jail PCdV, states, «Through painting, Manuel Ugarte reminds us that waiting was also a time of community and shared vulnerability. At PCdV – Ex Jail, we view art as a means to facilitate essential conversations, such as those around care and public health. Therefore, the invitation is to visit this exhibition and reflect on how we have collectively processed the repercussions that the pandemic left in society.»

«Waiting Time» will be open to the public of all ages with free access from Saturday, November 8, until Sunday, November 30, in the Laboratory Hall on the third floor of the Valparaíso Cultural Park – Ex Jail.

The exhibition can be visited from Tuesday to Saturday from 10:00 AM to 1:30 PM and from 3:30 PM to 6:30 PM. On Sundays, the hours are from 10:00 AM to 1:30 PM and from 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM.

El Ciudadano