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| © David Hornillos Solo Projects, Focus Latino America, Galería Wien Lukatsch Mariana Castillo Deball / Tudela en traje de chinelo, 2012 |
Manuela Moscoso interviews #Solo Projects:
Magalí Arriola is Curator of the Fundación/Colección Jumex in Mexico
Marcio Harum is Curator of Visual Arts at the CCSP (Centro Cultural São Paulo)
Sharon Lerner is Curator of Contemporary Art at the Museo de Arte de Lima – MALI
Tobias Ostrander is Chief Curator and Deputy Director for Curatorial Affairs at the Pérez Art Museum in Miami.
Magalí Arriola is Curator of the Fundación/Colección Jumex in Mexico
Marcio Harum is Curator of Visual Arts at the CCSP (Centro Cultural São Paulo)
Sharon Lerner is Curator of Contemporary Art at the Museo de Arte de Lima – MALI
Tobias Ostrander is Chief Curator and Deputy Director for Curatorial Affairs at the Pérez Art Museum in Miami.
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*Tobias:
Manuela Moscoso: You spent 13 years working in Mexico and since last year you have been Chief Curator of the Miami Art Museum. In what way has this move to the United States informed your view of Latin American art production?How will this be reflected in your contribution to the "Solo Projects" section?
In the last 5 or 6 years, we have seen more exchanges and collaborations between artists working in different countries in Latin America and the development of a more regional perspective. I see artists looking, more than they were 10 or 12 years ago, for opportunities to present their work in spaces in Latin America, developing dynamic dialogues between different contexts in the region. We are seeing these dialogues reflected in the diversification of the representation of artists in Latin American galleries, with Mexicans working with galleries in Peru, or Colombians with spaces in Brazil, etc. This interesting scenario has had an effect on my contribution and choice of artists for Solo Projects and the inclusion of artists that work with Latin American galleries that are not based in their native country. This regional perspective has also had a big influence on my way of thinking about the programme of the Pérez Art Museum Miami and moving towards a transnational perspective of the context this city offers; Miami as a node and intersection between the Southern United States, the Caribbean and Latin America.
MM: I agree with you, in recent years we have seen the region go through a solid and continuous process of organisation.Do you think these new dynamics correspond to a generational shift, to the professionalisation of the sector?Or what other factors do you think have had a major influence on the current state of affairs in Latin American art?
Yes, this interest in Latin America from within Latin America has to do with the professionalisation of a new generation of artists, curators, gallery owners, writers, etc. I think that 5 or 6 years ago there was a reaction against the homogenisation of global culture, with a focus on aspects that are local to Latin America, people began to take an interest in their own city, history, cultural context, and in developing new art spaces and production based on their immediate context. But now we are seeing an interest in expanding from local to regional interests as a means not of entering into dialogue with the whole world, but of seeking out exchanges with artistic contexts, spaces, galleries that are similar and face similar issues (economic, linguistic, governmental, colonial histories, urban development or social structures). This is a view of the region as a critical space between the global and local contexts.
*Magalí:
MM: Magali, you work as Curator of the Collection/Fundación Jumex in Mexico, a private institution that, correct me if I'm wrong, was established in 2001 in order to promote production and reflection on knowledge of contemporary art, and is now one of the most important contemporary art collections in Latin America.Could you tell us about the role private collections play in constructing a healthy ecosystem for cultural production today?
Yes, the Fundación/Colección Jumex opened its space in Ecatepec in 2001 with a view to opening up the collection to the public and at the same time it started its Sponsorship and Grants programme which perhaps has been one of the most decisive factors in the development and professionalisation of the art scene in Mexico. This programme not only helped to increase the budgets of many government institutions and to develop independent spaces, it also enabled many of our artists and curators to study abroad, thereby expanding our exchange network. So in addition to providing ongoing support for galleries and artists from the local scene through an acquisitions programme, the fact that the foundation established a philanthropic programme has played a major role in developing the ecosystem you talk about. This ecosystem could be seen as a mechanism which, in order to work, requires each one of the players involved in the scene (artists, galleries, collectors, curators, critics, institutions, etc.) to remain active and operational. Therefore, although collecting in itself is fundamental to a healthy scene, it is only one element within a much wider group of elements which I believe should be used to weave other kinds of ties and partnerships.
MM: Ties such as setting up the sponsorship and grants programme. The role of the person weaving the ties needs to be performed in a professional manner with knowledge of the field of arts.In your experience, how can this type of role be carried out by the curator?And do you know of any specific examples apart from Jumex that might be interesting to mention?
I would like to think that it is not a direct role of the curator but that these kinds of ties can be developed, extended and strengthened through a healthy network of exchanges between different agents. Up to now, the strategies that have been used have been the traditional ones - open calls for institutions and individuals to request support for projects, which in most cases are curatorial, and grants for studying abroad. The idea now is to start thinking about developing more efficient and attractive ways of supporting the local scene, which could also help to promote fields such as publishing, historical research, and recovering archives, which in many of our countries have been neglected precisely due to a lack of infrastructure and resources.
*Sharon:
MM: Could you tell us about the working method your team is going to use for this edition? How will the selection process work and how will "Solo Projects" respond to a curatorial action?
For this initial stage, each of the curators has proposed different galleries and artists that are of interest to them so they can be invited to put forward their latest projects for the fair. The proposals have not yet been submitted so at the moment its hard to say what we're going to be presented with and the shape this edition of Solo Projects will take in the end. However, what did surprise me was seeing how many of the members of the curatorial team put forward the same names, as even though they come from very different contexts, there were some very definite points of agreement. This makes me think that the process to select the final participants will be relatively consensual.
MM: What in your opinion is the role of the curator in the fair?
This is the first time I have worked on a curatorial project as part of a fair, but I imagine that it should be tackled in the same way as any other project of this kind, that is, looking for interesting connections and contrasts in the proposals, supporting the artists so they can use the space assigned to them in the most productive and interesting way, pushing to the limit the format offered by an event like this. I am keen to see how the work develops and to start conversations with the other curators. However, in the end it will all depend on the quality of the projects submitted.
*Marcio:
August 23, 2013 11:27:40 AM GMT-03:00 - Mexico City -- Thinking about a Latin America approach to a global fair
MM: As we mentioned in this interview, it is clear that new relationships are forming throughout the entire region of Latin America. However, historically there has been a greater distance between Spanish- and Portuguese-speakers. How do you think this distance is shortened in today's art scene?
Undoubtedly we are witnessing the drawing of new geopolitical maps of the art scene alongside a progression of employment networks through institutional collaboration. At the same time, this is generating unprecedented social impact among agents in Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking countries. For example, we can see trade fairs that are focused on the region such as ARCO (Madrid), Zona Maco (Mexico City), artBO (Bogota), arteBA (Buenos Aires), SP-Arte (São Paulo), ArtRio (Rio de Janeiro) and Chaco (Santiago de Chile). We can also see a strong reconfiguration of the biennial circuit with curating that proposes a structural exchange through their artistic research projects without language borders, such as: the 9th Mercosul Biennial in Porto Alegre (Brazil, 2013), the 10th Architecture Biennial (São Paulo, 2013), the 43rd (Inter)national Salon of Artists in Medellin (Colombia, 2013) and the 12th Cuenca Biennial (Ecuador, 2014). Of course we can't forget that these new dynamics are also the result of a global presence, which is opening up the possibility to feel and be closer than ever in our region.
MM: The institution where you work as a curator, the CCSP (São Paulo Cultural Centre), is an iconic place because of how visitors appropriate and use the space, as well as its programming supporting the flow of Brazilian production. Are we going to see similar strategies in Solo Projects at ARCOmadrid?
My contribution will be fully informed by my experience at the CCSP, since one of the most exciting themes in art is to create, problematise and expand contexts. For instance, I am delighted to have the opportunity to rethink beyond a map of Latin American influence in order to research and perceive the important Latin American artistic presence in Brazil. Under this historical perspective we have two names we must not forget: the media artist Julio Plaza (Madrid, 1938 - São Paulo, 2003) and the conceptual artist Francisco Iñarra (Vitoria, Spain,1947 - Diadema, Brazil, 2009). More recently and perhaps more noticeably is the work of Sara Ramo (Madrid, 1975 - lives between Belo Horizonte, Brazil and Spain) and Daniel Steegmann Mangrané (Barcelona, 1977 - lives in Rio de Janeiro). Although this reflection does not necessarily have a visible impact on ARCOmadrid 2014, it directly impacts my curatorial work because it is loaded with a new speed and professional dimension.
Manuela Moscoso: You spent 13 years working in Mexico and since last year you have been Chief Curator of the Miami Art Museum. In what way has this move to the United States informed your view of Latin American art production?How will this be reflected in your contribution to the "Solo Projects" section?
In the last 5 or 6 years, we have seen more exchanges and collaborations between artists working in different countries in Latin America and the development of a more regional perspective. I see artists looking, more than they were 10 or 12 years ago, for opportunities to present their work in spaces in Latin America, developing dynamic dialogues between different contexts in the region. We are seeing these dialogues reflected in the diversification of the representation of artists in Latin American galleries, with Mexicans working with galleries in Peru, or Colombians with spaces in Brazil, etc. This interesting scenario has had an effect on my contribution and choice of artists for Solo Projects and the inclusion of artists that work with Latin American galleries that are not based in their native country. This regional perspective has also had a big influence on my way of thinking about the programme of the Pérez Art Museum Miami and moving towards a transnational perspective of the context this city offers; Miami as a node and intersection between the Southern United States, the Caribbean and Latin America.
MM: I agree with you, in recent years we have seen the region go through a solid and continuous process of organisation.Do you think these new dynamics correspond to a generational shift, to the professionalisation of the sector?Or what other factors do you think have had a major influence on the current state of affairs in Latin American art?
Yes, this interest in Latin America from within Latin America has to do with the professionalisation of a new generation of artists, curators, gallery owners, writers, etc. I think that 5 or 6 years ago there was a reaction against the homogenisation of global culture, with a focus on aspects that are local to Latin America, people began to take an interest in their own city, history, cultural context, and in developing new art spaces and production based on their immediate context. But now we are seeing an interest in expanding from local to regional interests as a means not of entering into dialogue with the whole world, but of seeking out exchanges with artistic contexts, spaces, galleries that are similar and face similar issues (economic, linguistic, governmental, colonial histories, urban development or social structures). This is a view of the region as a critical space between the global and local contexts.
*Magalí:
MM: Magali, you work as Curator of the Collection/Fundación Jumex in Mexico, a private institution that, correct me if I'm wrong, was established in 2001 in order to promote production and reflection on knowledge of contemporary art, and is now one of the most important contemporary art collections in Latin America.Could you tell us about the role private collections play in constructing a healthy ecosystem for cultural production today?
Yes, the Fundación/Colección Jumex opened its space in Ecatepec in 2001 with a view to opening up the collection to the public and at the same time it started its Sponsorship and Grants programme which perhaps has been one of the most decisive factors in the development and professionalisation of the art scene in Mexico. This programme not only helped to increase the budgets of many government institutions and to develop independent spaces, it also enabled many of our artists and curators to study abroad, thereby expanding our exchange network. So in addition to providing ongoing support for galleries and artists from the local scene through an acquisitions programme, the fact that the foundation established a philanthropic programme has played a major role in developing the ecosystem you talk about. This ecosystem could be seen as a mechanism which, in order to work, requires each one of the players involved in the scene (artists, galleries, collectors, curators, critics, institutions, etc.) to remain active and operational. Therefore, although collecting in itself is fundamental to a healthy scene, it is only one element within a much wider group of elements which I believe should be used to weave other kinds of ties and partnerships.
MM: Ties such as setting up the sponsorship and grants programme. The role of the person weaving the ties needs to be performed in a professional manner with knowledge of the field of arts.In your experience, how can this type of role be carried out by the curator?And do you know of any specific examples apart from Jumex that might be interesting to mention?
I would like to think that it is not a direct role of the curator but that these kinds of ties can be developed, extended and strengthened through a healthy network of exchanges between different agents. Up to now, the strategies that have been used have been the traditional ones - open calls for institutions and individuals to request support for projects, which in most cases are curatorial, and grants for studying abroad. The idea now is to start thinking about developing more efficient and attractive ways of supporting the local scene, which could also help to promote fields such as publishing, historical research, and recovering archives, which in many of our countries have been neglected precisely due to a lack of infrastructure and resources.
*Sharon:
MM: Could you tell us about the working method your team is going to use for this edition? How will the selection process work and how will "Solo Projects" respond to a curatorial action?
For this initial stage, each of the curators has proposed different galleries and artists that are of interest to them so they can be invited to put forward their latest projects for the fair. The proposals have not yet been submitted so at the moment its hard to say what we're going to be presented with and the shape this edition of Solo Projects will take in the end. However, what did surprise me was seeing how many of the members of the curatorial team put forward the same names, as even though they come from very different contexts, there were some very definite points of agreement. This makes me think that the process to select the final participants will be relatively consensual.
MM: What in your opinion is the role of the curator in the fair?
This is the first time I have worked on a curatorial project as part of a fair, but I imagine that it should be tackled in the same way as any other project of this kind, that is, looking for interesting connections and contrasts in the proposals, supporting the artists so they can use the space assigned to them in the most productive and interesting way, pushing to the limit the format offered by an event like this. I am keen to see how the work develops and to start conversations with the other curators. However, in the end it will all depend on the quality of the projects submitted.
*Marcio:
August 23, 2013 11:27:40 AM GMT-03:00 - Mexico City -- Thinking about a Latin America approach to a global fair
MM: As we mentioned in this interview, it is clear that new relationships are forming throughout the entire region of Latin America. However, historically there has been a greater distance between Spanish- and Portuguese-speakers. How do you think this distance is shortened in today's art scene?
Undoubtedly we are witnessing the drawing of new geopolitical maps of the art scene alongside a progression of employment networks through institutional collaboration. At the same time, this is generating unprecedented social impact among agents in Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking countries. For example, we can see trade fairs that are focused on the region such as ARCO (Madrid), Zona Maco (Mexico City), artBO (Bogota), arteBA (Buenos Aires), SP-Arte (São Paulo), ArtRio (Rio de Janeiro) and Chaco (Santiago de Chile). We can also see a strong reconfiguration of the biennial circuit with curating that proposes a structural exchange through their artistic research projects without language borders, such as: the 9th Mercosul Biennial in Porto Alegre (Brazil, 2013), the 10th Architecture Biennial (São Paulo, 2013), the 43rd (Inter)national Salon of Artists in Medellin (Colombia, 2013) and the 12th Cuenca Biennial (Ecuador, 2014). Of course we can't forget that these new dynamics are also the result of a global presence, which is opening up the possibility to feel and be closer than ever in our region.
MM: The institution where you work as a curator, the CCSP (São Paulo Cultural Centre), is an iconic place because of how visitors appropriate and use the space, as well as its programming supporting the flow of Brazilian production. Are we going to see similar strategies in Solo Projects at ARCOmadrid?
My contribution will be fully informed by my experience at the CCSP, since one of the most exciting themes in art is to create, problematise and expand contexts. For instance, I am delighted to have the opportunity to rethink beyond a map of Latin American influence in order to research and perceive the important Latin American artistic presence in Brazil. Under this historical perspective we have two names we must not forget: the media artist Julio Plaza (Madrid, 1938 - São Paulo, 2003) and the conceptual artist Francisco Iñarra (Vitoria, Spain,1947 - Diadema, Brazil, 2009). More recently and perhaps more noticeably is the work of Sara Ramo (Madrid, 1975 - lives between Belo Horizonte, Brazil and Spain) and Daniel Steegmann Mangrané (Barcelona, 1977 - lives in Rio de Janeiro). Although this reflection does not necessarily have a visible impact on ARCOmadrid 2014, it directly impacts my curatorial work because it is loaded with a new speed and professional dimension.
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Magalí Arriola is Curator of the Fundación/Colección Jumex in Mexico, which in November of this year will inaugurate a new space. Previously she was Chief Curator at the Museo de Arte Carillo Gil and the Museo Tamayo, both in Mexico. Arriola has contributed to publications such as Afterall, Manifesta Journal
Marcio Harum is Curator of Visual Arts at the CCSP (Centro Cultural São Paulo) and was director (with Paola Santoscoy) of SITAC XI, the International Symposium on Contemporary Art Theory, Mexico City, in August 2013. As an independent curator, he participated in projects such as the 27th São Paulo Biennial and the 10th Havana Biennial.
Sharon Lerner is Curator of Contemporary Art at the Museo de Arte de Lima – MALI. She has written extensively on Peruvian Art and in 2010 she was awarded the Wattis Institute of Contemporary Arts 101 Fellowship, supporting her research for the Kadist Art Foundation.
Tobias Ostrander is Chief Curator and Deputy Director for Curatorial Affairs at the Pérez Art Museum in Miami. He is currently preparing the exhibition program for the new museum, designed by Herzog & De Meuron, which will open to the public next December. He worked in Mexico for 11 years as Chief Curator for the Museo Tamayo and the Museo Experimental El Eco.
Manuela Moscoso is an independent curator based in Rio de Janeiro. She has recently co- curated “FIcisismos” (Universidad di Tella, Buenos Aires) or producided "A Reading that Writes an Script by Yael Davids" (Museo de Arte do Rio, Rio de Janeiro). Together with Sarah Demeuse are Rivet, a curatorial office that has materialized their research on exhibitions and publications about generics and deployment, and resonance and repetition. Moscoso is currently the adjunct curator of the Biennale de Cuenca 12 (2014, Ecuador.) She hold Master’s Degree in Curatorial Studies from the Center for Curatorial Studies in Bard College.
Marcio Harum is Curator of Visual Arts at the CCSP (Centro Cultural São Paulo) and was director (with Paola Santoscoy) of SITAC XI, the International Symposium on Contemporary Art Theory, Mexico City, in August 2013. As an independent curator, he participated in projects such as the 27th São Paulo Biennial and the 10th Havana Biennial.
Sharon Lerner is Curator of Contemporary Art at the Museo de Arte de Lima – MALI. She has written extensively on Peruvian Art and in 2010 she was awarded the Wattis Institute of Contemporary Arts 101 Fellowship, supporting her research for the Kadist Art Foundation.
Tobias Ostrander is Chief Curator and Deputy Director for Curatorial Affairs at the Pérez Art Museum in Miami. He is currently preparing the exhibition program for the new museum, designed by Herzog & De Meuron, which will open to the public next December. He worked in Mexico for 11 years as Chief Curator for the Museo Tamayo and the Museo Experimental El Eco.
Manuela Moscoso is an independent curator based in Rio de Janeiro. She has recently co- curated “FIcisismos” (Universidad di Tella, Buenos Aires) or producided "A Reading that Writes an Script by Yael Davids" (Museo de Arte do Rio, Rio de Janeiro). Together with Sarah Demeuse are Rivet, a curatorial office that has materialized their research on exhibitions and publications about generics and deployment, and resonance and repetition. Moscoso is currently the adjunct curator of the Biennale de Cuenca 12 (2014, Ecuador.) She hold Master’s Degree in Curatorial Studies from the Center for Curatorial Studies in Bard College.
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