Artists + Critics

Guided Visits with specialists

From May 8th, Saturdays 5.00 pm

Fundación Proa launches the guided visit series with specialists. Renowned Artists + Critics from the local art scene, give the audience a creative and thorough analysis of theThe Universe of Futurism. 1909-1936 exhibition.

Coordinator: Mercedes Pérez Bergliaffa.
Information: info@proa.org

May
Saturday 8 - 5.00 pm 
Diana B . Wechsler + Alejandro Puente

Saturday 15 - 5.00 pm
Laura Batkis + Luis Fernando Benedit

Saturday 22 - 5.00 pm  
Rodrigo Alonso + Daniel Merle

Saturday 29 - 5.00 pm 
Alberto Giudici + Horacio Zabala

Artists + Critics

The Universe of Futurism show, explores, with more than 200 works in exhibition, the reach of the movement within the different artistic disciplines. The series invites curators, historians, artists, writers, photographers, etc. in order to capture each and every point of view offered from within their object of work or study. Painting, literature, dance, theatre and photography will be themes present throughout the guided tours given by the specialized guests.

Some questions and subjects for thought:
. Why is futurism important in relation to the other historic avant-guards?
. How is the “complete” or “absolute” artwork explored by Futurism?
. What is the significance of the Futurist Manifest in the past century?
. What is the influence of Futurism in Latin America?
. How do we consider Futurism from a contemporary point of view?

The guided visits will also create a space for debate in relation to the interdisciplinary characteristics of the movement. These ones will open up the discussion for several questions, such as:
. What are the characteristics of each discipline?
. How do they interact?
. What is the importance of the interdisciplinary character presented by the Futurist movement?
. How do we approach Futurism from each discipline?

The Artists + Critics series establishes a unique opportunity. It allows the visitor to witness the artist’s and scholar’s observations on the works, and their interaction with the Futurist exhibition.

The Specialists:

Saturday 8/5, 5.00 pm. Diana B . Wechsler + Alejandro Puente

Diana B. Wechsler has a PhD in Art History, CONICET investigator, Director of the Masters in Curatorial and Visual Arts studies, Universidad Tres de Febrero. Awarded with the Professor of Argentinean Art of the 20th Century by the Facultad de Filosofía y Letras de la Universidad de Buenos Aires. Teacher of Sociology and Anthropology, UBA. Guest professor on several international universities. Independent curator. Among her most important exhibtions: “Novecento sudamericano. Relazioni artistiche tra Italia, Brasile, Argentina e Uruguay” (Milano, Curitiba, Sao Paulo, with the collaboration of T. Chiarelli), “La Breve historia de Ema en el Taller de Spilimbergo” (Buenos Aires). Among the most important books and publications: “Papeles en conflicto. Arte y crítica entre la vanguardia y la tradición; Los surrealistas. Insurrectos, iconoclastas y revolucionarios en Europa y América” (in collaboration with María Teresa Constantín); “La memoria compartida”, (Directed with Y. Aznar).
Received the Doctor scholarship by the Getty Grant Program (1999-2000), as well as prestigious awards and honors by international and national organizations. Honorary member of CAIA.

Alejandro Puente was born in La Plata, Buenos Aires in 1953. Studied Visual Theory at the Art School of La Plata. In 1967 recieved the Guggenheim Price, and lived in New York until 1971, when he returned to Buenos Aires. His exhibtions include “Information Show”, M.O.M.A. (New York); “Four Latinoamerican Center” (New York); “Arte Argentino, Dalla Indipendenza ad oggi (1810-1987)” (Roma); Argentinean representative for the Sao Pablo Binnale; “La escuela del sur: el taller de Torres-García y su legado “ (Museo Reina Sofía, Madrid en Monterrey (Mexico, Washington, New York). In 2001, “Abstraction: the American Paradigm” (Palais de Beaux Arts, Bruselas, Bélgica and I.V.A.M. Valencia, Spain). Recieved several awards: Meridiano de Plata, Mano of the year in the Visual Arts , Telecom Award. Argentina, Arlequín Price, Fundación Pettoruti, Best exhibtion of 1998 y Grand National Painting Award.

Saturday 15/5, 5.00 hs. Laura Batkis + Luis Fernando Benedit

Laura Batkis has a Bachelor degree in Art History (UBA) and is specialized in contemporary art. Professor at UBA, Centro Cultural Rojas, MALBA, and since 2008 has coordinated the Visual Arts program for the Centro Cultural Recoleta. Curates numerous exhibitions such as: 1st South African Biennale; Clorindo Testa exhibition in the Cabildo de Córdoba and in the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes exhibtions for Julio Le Parc and Eduardo Rodríguez for the Centro Cultural San Martín. Member of the Asociación Argentina e Internacional de Críticos de Arte and has publications in: Perfil, Tres Puntos and Art Nexos. Currently writing for Lapiz, Arte al Dia and La Mano. She has been recognized by the MNBA for the journalistic work.

Luis Fernando Benedit (1937, Buenos Aires) is an artist and architect. His work  is positioned during the Informalist movement and experimental art. His early work, between 1959 and 1962, is focused in painting as a method of expression. His solo exhibitions include: (2000) “Fitotron II” Ruth Benzacar and Centro Cultural Recoleta; (1996) Retrospectiva, MNBA; (2000) “Heterotopias” Medio siglo sin lugar: 1918-1968. Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, Madrid, Spain; Venice Biennale, Italy; (1998) “Tierra Incógnita”, Centro Cultural Banco Do Brasil, Río de Janeiro Brazil; “The Garden of Forking Paths, Contemporary Artists from Latin America”, Kunstforeningen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Edsvik konst & Kultur, Stokolm, Sweden y Helsinki City Art Museum, Finland;  (1992) “Artistas Latinoamericanos del Siglo XX”, Museum of Modern Art, Seville, Spain, a traveling exhibition: Estación Plaza de Armas, Sevilla; Hotel des Arts (Fondation Nationales des Arts), Paris; Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris; Kunsthalle Cologne, Cologne, Germany and MOMA, The Museum of Modern Art, New York.

Saturday 22/5, 5.00 pm. Rodrigo Alonso + Daniel Merle

Rodrigo Alonso has a Bachelor in Art (UBA), specialized in contemporary and new media art. Professor at UNTREF, USAL, IUNA, professor and member of the Consulting Committee of the Masters program and a cultural practices of Art and New Media Practices, MECAD, Barcelona. Invited as guest professor by important American and European universities, conferences and round tables. Co-director for the Taller de Arte Interactivo at Espacio Fundación Telefónica. Recent exhibitions: “Nuestra Hospitalidad”, Espai d’Art Contemporani, “Resplandores. Poéticas analógicas y digitales”, Centro Cultural Recoleta, “Tensiones públicas. Utopías domésticas”, Centro Cultural Marcelo Patiño, “Telefonías”,  Fundación Telefónica, “El futuro ya no es lo que era”, Espacio Fundación OSDE. Writer, critic and collaborator in several books, art magazines and exhibtion catalogues. His publications include: Muntadas. Con/Textos, Ansia y Devoción, Jaime Davidovich. Video Works. 1970-2000 y No sabe/No contesta. Prácticas fotográficas contemporáneas desde América Latina.

Daniel Merle has a Fine Arts degree and worked as a graphic reporter for the Reuters agency, La Nacion newspaper and The New York Times. Chief Photography editor for Clarin´s VIVA magazine and cultural suplements, and for La Nación´s newspaper Sunday Magazine. Renowned photojournalist professor for TEA School of Photojournalism. Exhibited his work in Ruth Benzacar Gallery, Buenos Aires; International Colloquium of Photo-Graphic; Centro Cultural Recoleta; Photogallery, Teatro San Martin; Alianza Francesa; and recently at the Centro Cultural Borges.

Saturday 29/5, 5.00 pm. Alberto Giudici + Horacio Zabala

Alberto Giudici. Journalist, art critic and curator. Visual Arts, film and arquitecture studies. Colaborator of several press publications; currently art critic for Clarin newspaper and Ñ, cultural supplement. His curatorial work includes: “Arte y Política en los 60”, Palais de Glace, 2002, awarded by Asociación de Críticos de la Argentina as the best collective exhibtion of the year; “Hay que comer” with works by Carlos Alonso, Instituto Valenciano de Arte Moderno (IVAM) and his work as permanent curator in “Abraham Vigo”, Centro Cultural de la Cooperación. Co-editor in the Book “Arte Latinoamericano. Territorio de Utopías” and author of the essay “Todo Lino, el dolor de la creación”, in the book “Carlos Alonso - Autobiografía en imágenes”. In 2007, received the Konex Award for Visual Arts.

Horacio Zabala. Artists and architect (UBA). Emigrates to Europe in 1976 and returns in 1998. Lives in Buenos Aires. In 1967 held his first solo exhibition and in 1972 published his first essay. To the present day held 35 solo exhibitions and 100 collective shows in America and Europe. His work is part of major museum collections: Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Rosario, The University of Iowa Museum of Art, USA; Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Rosario;  University of Essex Collection of Latin American Art, England; etc. In 1998 published “El arte o el mundo por segunda vez”, UNR Editions, Rosario. In 2004 is awarded with the First Price of Acquisition in the LVIII Salon Nacional in Rosario. Visual documentation of his work, starting in 1968 is held at the Centro Virtual de Arte Argentino, also holding his complete history (solo and collective shows, texts, biography and bibliography of the artists).

Saturday 5/6, 5.00 pm. Mercedes Casanegra + Luis Felipe Noé

Mercedes Casanegra. Bachelor in Art History (UBA), Argentinean and international contemporary art writer and researcher.  Professor at the School of Arts in Literature and Philosophy Department in the University of Buenos Aires. Former president of the Asociación Argentina de Críticos de Arte, 2001-2006. Her most recent curatorial work includes exhibitions of: Roberto Elía, Enio Iommi, Kasuya Sakai, Eduardo Stupía y Matilde Marín at Centro Cultural Recoleta; “Entre el silencio y la violencia”, Fundación Telefónica and Sotheby, New York; responsible for the Argentinean section at the Venice Biennale 2003; and the De la Vega exhibition, MALBA, Buenos Aires. Published several book such as: Noé, Jorge de la Vega, Josefina Robirosa, Polesello Imanes. Invited coordinator for the “El Tiempo del Arte” exhibition at Fundación Proa, and in charge of the latinamerican artwork selection.

Luis Felipe Noé. Visual artist. Part of the New Objectivity school in argentina during the 1960s along with Ernesto Deira, Rómulo Macció and Jorge de la Vega. As part of the school he was part of exhibtions in the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Museo de Arte Moderno de Rio de Janeiro and Centro Cultural Recoleta, among others. Held more than 40 solo exhibtions in Latin American, European and American museums and galleries. His most important ones include exhibtions in: Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Caracas; Museo del Palacio Nacional de Bellas Artes, Mexico; Centro Cultural Borges, Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Buenos Aires and his participation at the Habana, Sao Paulo, Mercosur and Venice Biennales. Received several awards: Di Tella, Guggenheim Scholarchip, Trayectoria Artistica Award from Asociación Argentina de Críticos de Arte, Grand Price from Fondo Nacional de las Artes, and Rosario Price for his career in the arts.