A decade after the second consecutive continental title of the Selección chilena, eleven national artists were invited to create brand‑new works inspired by Chile’s double Copa América triumph. The result is BICAMPEONES, an exhibition organized by Fundación CRACKS that will run on 31 de octubre and 1 de noviembre at Fundación VETA, with free entry. Can art capture the thrill of that night?
The display will fill the historic mansion housing VETA Espacio Creativo at Santo Domingo 1060 in Santiago Centro. The venue blends artist studios with gallery rooms.
The 2015 and 2016 finals as starting point
On 4 July 2015 at the Estadio Nacional, Chile beat Argentina 4‑1 in a penalty shoot‑out to claim its first ever title, under coach Jorge Sampaoli. A year later, on 26 June 2016, the side repeated the feat at the Copa América Centenario. After a 0‑0 deadlock with Argentina in the MetLife Stadium in the United States, they prevailed 4‑2 on penalties, now led by Juan Antonio Pizzi.
Since then, however, La Roja has missed out on the World Cups in Russia 2018, Qatar 2022 and the upcoming 2026 edition.
The artworks explore not only the matches but also the surrounding celebrations, symbols, chants, memories and how that era settled into a generation. Through varied media, each creator offers a personal take on an event the organizers say transcended sport. In my view, the show proves sport can inspire lasting cultural dialogue.
The artists behind the works
Participating names include Catalina Silva, Valentina Gálvez, Camilo Ortiz, Boris Jiménez, Cristián Elizalde and Camila Paz Arriagada, among others.
One contributor, Ortiz, has previously tackled football. The Barcelona‑based painter and printmaker produced the 2014 series Finales, twenty colour woodcuts. Since then his work has focused on the sport’s iconic bars and signature moves.
BAO, Fundación CRACKS’ cultural line behind the show
The show emerges from BAO (Balón, Arte, Oficio), the cultural arm of Fundación CRACKs. Its aim is to fuse football, artistic creation and crafts, examining the football culture through objects, images, rituals and stories.
Founded in 2025 by Cristóbal Chaparro, Dominique Goujon and Germán Hofmann, the foundation collaborates with neighborhood sports clubs such as the Club Deportivo y Social Los Dieguitos in Huechuraba.
“The club can serve as a gateway to work with an entire community,” said Chaparpo, the organization’s general director, in a interview with Basepública.
Following that logic, BICAMPEONES marks BAO’s first exhibition venture. Designed as a travelling project, organizers hope to bring it to new venues and audiences, though dates and sites remain undecided. A digital archive will also collect the pieces, the artists and their creative processes.