Meridian and IDB Open Unseen Threads Art Exhibition

Art and culture took center stage at Meridian International Center on September 29 with the opening of Unseen Threads: The Fabric of Everyday Life in Central America. In partnership with the Inter-American Development Bank Group (IDB), Meridian welcomed members of the diplomatic community, arts and culture leaders, and other guests to the White-Meyer House for an evening exploring how art and cultural exchange can strengthen relationships, create dialogue and connect communities across borders. 

Drawn from the IDB Art Collection, Unseen Threads explores the traditions and everyday experiences that connect communities across Central America. Works from Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama offer different perspectives on the region while showing how culture can reflect both shared experiences and change across generations.   

David Bohigian, CEO of Meridian International Center, opened the reception alongside Ilan Goldfajn, President of the Inter-American Development Bank, and Shannon Sprenger, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Professional and Cultural Exchanges in the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Bohigian connected the exhibition's theme to Meridian's broader approach to diplomacy, describing the relationships among governments, artists, businesses and other sectors as the "unseen threads" that shape international engagement. "The culture shapes the politics, the politics shapes the world that we're all hoping to live in the years ahead," he said. 

Goldfajn highlighted the IDB's effort to make its art collection more accessible beyond its own walls and emphasized the connection between culture and development. He noted that the IDB began opening its collection to wider audiences more than a year ago, reflecting the institution's view that art should be experienced beyond its own offices. The exhibition brings together artists from different generations and artistic approaches, illustrating both the traditions that shape everyday life and how culture evolves over time. "Art sparks dialogue, builds understanding, and helps us imagine new possibilities for our region," Goldfajn said. 

Sprenger expanded the conversation beyond cultural understanding, highlighting how cultural exchange can also create economic opportunities between the United States and Central America.  

With approximately 80 guests, including foreign ambassadors and members of the diplomatic and arts communities, Unseen Threads brought art into a broader conversation about diplomacy, development and economic opportunity, demonstrating how culture can create common ground and strengthen relationships across the region. 

Project summary

Meridian and IDB Open Unseen Threads Art Exhibition | October 2026