Transformed into a biennial in 2004, the Salón Arturo Michelena celebrated its 66th edition. Ninety-six artists from around Venezuela participated in the event with works that were shown at three venues: at the Galería Universitaria Braulio Salazar, at the Gabinete de Dibujo y Estampa in Valencia, and at the Centro Cultural Eladio Alemán Sucre.
The jury was formed by sculptor Pedro Fermín, winner of the Arturo Michelena Biennial in 2010; art critics and curators Bélgica Rodríguez and Alfredo Fermín, both members of the International Association of Art Critics (AICA, its Spanish acronym); Tahía Rivero, curator at the Colección Mercantil; museographer Ilich Rodríguez-Coronel; and artist Wladimir Zabaleta, who served as head curator of the Biennial. They were faced with the arduous task of considering more than 500 works, a reflection of the high participation that the Salón still draws despite the setback it suffered in 2007 with the loss of its headquarters (the Ateneo de Valencia) because of serious labor issues and the existing political polarity in the country. It was a situation that exposed the need for the creation and conservation of exhibition spaces of its kind that stimulate confrontation, diffusion and dialogue among artists, art critics and the general public. In spite of everything, the Salón Arturo Michelena Biennial continues to be an important referent in Venezuela and being recognized by it still represents one of the highest honors an artist can aspire to receive.
This 66th edition of the Salón Arturo Michelena Biennial awarded the following artists: J. J. Moros (José Jesús Moros, Arturo Michelena Award), Rafael Rangel (Andrés Pérez Mujica Award), José Vivenes (Braulio Salazar Award), Sachenka Oropeza (Premio Antonio Edmundo Monsanto Award); Javier León (Armando Reverón Award); Antonio Ugarte (AICA Award); as well as recognitions to: María Elena Álvarez, Pepe López, Augusto Marcano, and Adán Zarate, all prominent players in the art scene of Venezuela with important and solid works.