A contemporary art biennial in Chapingo? is the question asked by many when mentioning the organization of the First Biennial of Contemporary Art with Roots in the Earth. The Universidad Autónoma Chapingo (UACh) is known and recognized as one of the best universities of agronomy. At first glance, the perception is that it has nothing to do with artistic manifestations, however, there are many more affinities than disparities. As explained by the author of the idea and general coordinator of the Biennial, the painter Juan Jorge Díaz Rivera; “The inherent conditions of the institution, which are teaching, research and promotion of culture, lend themselves to an event such as this and for many other artistic activities. Furthermore, the tradition of the UACh in the field of art, along with its cultural patrimony (internationally recognized), practically obliges an event of these characteristics to take place in this institution, where artists from all over the world converge with different visions of the aesthetic aspect. It goes beyond the aesthetic vision (in view of the substance of the mission of the UACh: the earth) of the artists. It demands a reflexion of the terrible aggression suffered by nature, the entire planet. This is extemely useful for the institution, because we believe that along with research and academic endeavor, there are other visions, such as those of the artists, who can propose alternatives. Art is not just an image, it includes a concept of what can be done. The idea is to include diverse visions with respect to “Mother Earth” with the lema “Art with Roots in the Earth”.
(Rocío Guzmán Benítez).