Amazonian Collective Ömere Takes the CIDAP Medal at ARDIS 2026 — Cuenca's Craft Biennial Just Wrapped

The Medal Winner

The Bienal Internacional de Artesanía Contemporánea, Diseño e Innovación (ARDIS 2026) — Cuenca's big international craft biennial — wrapped on April 13, 2026 at the Jardines del CIDAP, and CIDAP just announced who took home the top honors (source).

The Medalla CIDAP — this year's biggest award — went to the Ecuadorian Amazonian collective Ömere – Texturas de la Selva, led by artists Manuela Ima and Romelia Papue, for their work "Terekenkare. La voz interior" in the Diseño e Innovación category.

Their medium is chambira fiber weaving from the Tepapare community in the Ecuadorian Amazon — a textile tradition Ömere has been translating into contemporary design pieces.

The Honor Mentions

Four honor mentions went to:

• Rita Soto (Chile) — "Volcánica", contemporary jewelry in horsehair micro-basketry
• Fredy Zhunaula (Píllaro, Ecuador) — "El Diablo del Frío Vivo", fiber glass and resin mask
• Tomás Carpio (Cuenca, Ecuador) — "Animal Solar", ceramic with traditional reduction firing
• Pablo Jacho Topón (Quito, Ecuador) — "RonroQUI", experimental lutherie

Cuenca's own Tomás Carpio made the list — local ceramics representing on home ground.

Quick CIDAP Primer (If You're New Here)

CIDAP stands for Centro Interamericano de Artesanías y Artes Populares — the Inter-American Center of Crafts and Popular Arts. It's headquartered in Cuenca, down in El Barranco, and it's a serious institution in the Latin American crafts world. The Medalla CIDAP is one of the most prestigious recognitions a craft artist can receive in the region.

What This Means for You

• CIDAP's museum and gardens are worth a visit anytime. Even outside biennial years, the Jardines del CIDAP are quiet, well-kept, and free to walk through. The adjacent museum runs rotating exhibitions of craft and popular art from across the Americas.
• ARDIS brings international artists to Cuenca. If you're into craft traditions, design, or Latin American material culture, the biennial is worth marking on the calendar for future editions.
• Look for Ömere's work if you can. Indigenous Amazonian textile art is having a real moment in contemporary design circles, and the Medalla CIDAP puts Ömere firmly on the map.

Source: El Mercurio