Here's a selection of the exciting Costa Rican exhibitions and events happening across the country this week.

All eyes on downtown San José’s independent art space abra.espacio this week, with work presented by emerging artist Irene Calderón and Elena Obando.

Costa Rica boasts a dynamic contemporary art scene, which is gaining increased attention from international audiences. While the country’s breathtaking landscapes are a key source of inspiration for many artists, Costa Rican art extends far beyond these natural beauties. The country’s art scene is marked by a diverse range of artistic expressions. Costa Rican artists are creating high-calibre, thought-provoking works that address complex themes, from identity and environment to socio-political issues.

From the bustling streets of San José to the quieter coastal towns, Costa Rica hosts a variety of galleries, exhibitions, and cultural events that highlight the emerging talent shaping the country's artistic identity. Even for those unable to attend these events in person, MÍRAME’s regular exhibition highlights offer a curated glimpse into this flourishing scene.

Read on to learn about MÍRAME top exhibition selections featuring emerging and established local Costa Rican artists for this week.

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MÍRAME top Costa Rican exhibitions below:

• Irene Calderón La Palabra Muda | Elena Obando, abra.espacio, San José. On until 20 September.

• Chirripó es el Arte, Galería Nacional (San José National Gallery), San José. On until 28 September.

• Espacio, Osvaldo Sequeira exhibition, Galería UCR, University of Costa Rica, San José.

• Enar Cruz, Jorge Murillo, Andrés Ramírez, Mariechen Wust, Marta Yglesias, Galería Talentum Barrio Escalante, San José.

• Pasado y Presente Activo, Jose Crisanto Badilla Arguello, Museo Calderón Guardia, Barrio Escalante, San José.

• Un verde inalcanzable, Sergio Rojas Chaves, deCERCA Nosara, Sendero Hotel, Nosara

• San José salón exhibition. Salón Nacional de Artes Visuales 2025, Museo de Arte Costarricense, San José. On through the summer.

• Rafael Chamorro, Leer la Mano, deCERCA gallery, Nosara, Guanacaste.

MORE INFORMATION | Costa Rican Exhibitions:

New this week

Irene Calderón, Elena Obando, abra.espacio, San José. On until 20 September.

Abra.espacio, the independent art space in downtown San José, is currently hosting two intriguing exhibitions. La Palabra Muda (The Word Changes) by Irene Calderón presents 27 delicate works that evoke a dreamlike, oneiric universe. Calderón is inspired by people, objects and flora. Meanwhile, Elena Obando is an embroiderer and jewellery designer who makes delicate portraits hand-stitched onto tulle, often framed in oversized wooden hoops that gives each piece a quiet, contemporary drama. The work was made during Obando's recent residency at the experimental project space salita_temporal in San José. Read here an interview with Elena Obando with CC Magazine.

Chirripó es el Arte, Galería Nacional (San José National Gallery), San José. On until 28 September.

To mark the 50th anniversary of Chirripó National Park, the San José National Gallery presents The Chirripó is Art, an exhibition of landscape paintings in oil and acrylic. Featuring Gilberto Ramírez Chaves alongside Flory Fonseca, Milena Elizondo, Carmen Elizondo, and Carlos García, the show reflects on the significance of Costa Rica’s highest peak, Cerro Chirripó (3,821m). With works created in response to the “Chirripó challenge,” the exhibition at the San José National Gallery honours the park’s cultural and ecological importance. Admission is free, and the exhibition runs until 28 September. Read more about a key work in the show here.

Espacio, Osvaldo Sequeira exhibition, Galería UCR, University of Costa Rica, San José.

As part of the University of Costa Rica’s 85th anniversary celebrations, the UCR Gallery (Administrative Building B) presents ESPACIO, a solo exhibition by Osvaldo Sequeira opening 25 August. Known for his figurative paintings informed by a background in illustration, Sequeira reflects on contemporary life through layered depictions of the body and its environment. The exhibition will feature recent works that expand his ongoing investigation into gesture, surface, and narrative.

On view until 8 October, this Osvaldo Sequeira exhibition highlights his position within Costa Rica’s evolving conversation around contemporary figuration.

• Isla Chira: Réplicas de un ride, Galería Arq. Rafael (Felo) García, San José. On until 7 September.

Including five artists Dennis Salas, Johnny Arroyo, Juan Carlos Ruiz, Rubén Soza and MíRAME artist Juan Carlos Camacho, this show celebrates Costa Rican watercolour painting. On now until 7 September.

Enar Cruz, Jorge Murillo, Andrés Ramírez, Mariechen Wust, Marta Yglesias, Galería Talentum Barrio Escalante, San José.

    This show brings together works by the Costa Rican artists Jorge Murillo, Enar Cruz, Mariechen Wust, Andrés Ramírez, and Marta Yglesias. Whether you're familiar with these names or encountering their work for the first time, it promises an eclectic mix of styles and perspectives, united by strong technical skill and a refined visual approach.

Pasado y Presente Activo brings together a range of Bronze sculptures by José Crisanto Badilla Argüello, exploring continuity between pre-Columbian tradition, femininity, and his own long sculptural lineage: several major works were personally cast by the artist himself. The exhibition makes visible the layered identity of Costa Rican sculptural tradition in dialogue with civic history.

Un verde inalcanzable, Sergio Rojas Chaves, deCERCA Nosara, Sendero Hotel, Nosara.

    Un verde inalcanzable marks the first solo exhibition by Costa Rican artist Sergio Rojas Chaves. Known for his investigations into tropical flora and everyday life, Rojas turns his attention here to the overlooked presence of death in plant care. The exhibition reflects on cycles of life and decay, looking at the quiet meditation on the emotional and symbolic weight of greenery within domestic spaces. Presented in collaboration with Sendero Hotel in Nosara, Guanacaste.

Contact deCERCA for opening hours and further information.

The Salón Nacional de Artes Visuales 2025 is open at the Museo de Arte Costarricense in San José. Featuring 50 works, this biennial exhibition showcases a broad spectrum of contemporary practices from across Costa Rica. Highlights include Katrin Aason’s award-winning textile piece, Jesús Mejia’s figurative work, and contributions by Eliecer Rodríguez, Ivannia Lasso, and Alonso Durán. Free to the public, the show runs through the summer with guided tours and workshops available. It offers a rare look at current visual languages emerging from the national scene, all housed in the museum’s historic La Sabana venue.

Contact us for opening hours and further information.

Rafael Chamorro, Leer la Mano, deCERCA gallery, Nosara, Guanacaste.

deCERCA Nosara presents a solo exhibition by Rafael Chamorro (San José, 1980), presenting a selection of works that trace the evolution of his practice over time.

Titled Leer la Mano, the exhibition brings together pieces from various periods, drawing subtle links between material, movement, and interpretation. Chamorro moves with precision between the tactile and the conceptual, offering a body of work that feels at once instinctive and carefully constructed.

Contact deCERCA for opening hours and further information.

Stay tuned with MÍRAME for weekly updates on Costa Rica’s evolving art scene.

w/c 8 September 2025.

abra.espacio | Irene Calderón | Elena Obando