Between Theory and Practice:
Rethinking Latin American Art in the 21st Century

Symposium

This symposium is organized by the Museum of Latin American Art in Long Beach in collaboration with the Getty Research Institute, and is funded with support from the Getty Foundation.

Between Theory and Practice: Rethinking Latin American Art in the 21st Century is part one of a two-part symposium. Part two will take place at the Museum de Arte de Lima in Peru on November 2, 3, and 4, 2011.

Part one:

Friday, March 11, 2011
Museum Lecture Hall, The Getty Center
9:00 a.m.–6:30 p.m.

Saturday, March 12, 2011
Museum of Latin American Art, Long Beach (MOLAA)
9:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m.

Sunday, March 13, 2011
Museum of Latin American Art, Long Beach (MOLAA)
9:00 a.m.–6:30 p.m.

An international group of scholars, curators, museum directors, and artists discuss new approaches to the study and presentation of Latin American art in the 21st century. This symposium focuses on three key areas: the role of the museum in the collection, contextualization, and representation of Latin American art; the production of revisionist art histories through innovative research methodologies, new interpretative frameworks and archive-based scholarship; and experimental curatorial models ranging from historic to contemporary case studies for the interpretation and presentation of art from Latin America.

There is no registration fee for the symposium. Lunch can be purchased at the Getty Cafe for the symposium sessions held at the Getty Center. A $25 fee per day ($15 for students) for refreshments and lunch will be charged at the time of registration for the symposium sessions held at the Museum of Latin American Art in Long Beach. For more information, or to register for the symposium, contact symposiummolaa.org or visit www.molaa.org.

Admission is free. Reservations required for each day. For more information or to register for the symposium contact symposiummolaa.org. Note, late arrivals cannot be guaranteed seating.

For more information see:
http://www.getty.edu/research/exhibitions_events/events/theory_practice/index.html

Conceived by Cecilia Fajardo-Hill, Chief Curator, Museum of Latin American Art, Long Beach
Advisory Committee: Andrea Giunta, Cuauhtémoc Medina, Natalia Majluf and Gerardo Mosquera March 11–13, 2011

Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, March 11–13, 2011
9:15 a.m.–5:00 p.m.; Museum Lecture Hall, The Getty Center

Conference Overview

Day One: Friday, March 11, 2011
9:00 a.m.–6:30 p.m.; Museum Lecture Hall, The Getty Center
Admission is free. Reservations required for each day. For more information or to register for the symposium contact symposiummolaa.org. Note, late arrivals cannot be guaranteed seating.

8:30–9:00 a.m.
Check-in and Coffee

9:00–9:15 a.m.
Welcome, Thomas Gaehtgens, Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles
Introduction, Richard P. Townsend, Museum of Latin American Art, Long Beach

Session I
The Role of the Museum: Collecting, Contextualizing, and Representing Latin American Art in the 21st Century (Part 1)
Sessions I and II consider the role of collecting, specialization, and context in the Latin American art field. Papers explore concurrently a range of issues related to the worldwide museum, with a focus on Latin American art, the specialized museum, and museums in Latin America. The sessions address the creation of curatorial models for local culture and self-representation, the development of national identity and memory in the context of museums both within and outside of Latin America, how to broaden global understanding about art from the region, and finally, the successful introduction of wider global audiences to historical and contemporary art practices from Latin America.

9:15–9:30 a.m.
Introduction, Moderator: Cecilia Fajardo-Hill, Museum of Latin American Art, Long Beach

9:30–9:50 a.m.
Tanya Barson, Tate Modern, London

9:50–10:10 a.m.
María Inés Rodríguez, Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Castilla y León, León

10:10–10:30 a.m.
Osvaldo Sánchez, Museo de Arte Moderno, Mexico City

10:30–11:00 a.m.
Coffee Break

11:00–11:15 a.m.
Introduction, Respondent: Gustavo Buntinx, Micromuseo, Lima

11:15–12:00 p.m.
Conversation, Moderator: Cecilia Fajardo-Hill. Respondent: Gustavo Buntinx. Participants: Tanya Barson, María Inés Rodríguez, and Osvaldo Sánchez.

12:00–12:30 p.m.
Q&A

12:30–2:00 p.m.
Lunch Break

Session II
The Role of the Museum: Collecting, Contextualizing, and Representing Latin American Art in the 21st Century (Part 2)

2:00–2:30 p.m.
Introduction, Moderator: Natalia Majluf, Museo de Arte de Lima

2:30–2:50 p.m.
Graciela de la Torre, Museo Universitario Arte Contemporáneo, Mexico City

2:50–3:10 p.m.
Marcelo Araújo, Pinacoteca, Sao Paulo

3:10–3:30 p.m.
Estrellita Brodsky, Independent curator, art historian, philanthropist, New York

3:30–4:00 p.m.
Coffee Break

4:00–4:15 p.m.
Introduction, Respondent

4:15–5:00 p.m.
Conversation, Moderator: Natalia Majluf. Participants: Graciela de la Torre, Marcelo Araújo, and Estrellita Brodsky.

5:00–5:30 p.m.
Q&A

5:30–6:30 p.m.
Reception

Day Two: Saturday, March 12, 2011
9:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m.; Balboa Event Center, Museum of Latin American Art, Long Beach
Admission is free. Reservations required for each day. For more information or to register for the symposium contact symposiummolaa.org. Note, late arrivals cannot be guaranteed seating.

8:30–9:00 a.m.
Check-in and Coffee

9:00–9:15 a.m.
Welcome, Richard P. Townsend, Museum of Latin American Art, Long Beach
Introduction, Cecilia Fajardo-Hill, Museum of Latin American Art, Long Beach

Session III
Art Historical Practice: Rethinking Research Methodologies and Interpretive and Critical Frameworks (Part 1)
The development of new research methodologies and interpretive and critical frameworks is crucially important for scholars of Latin American art. Much of the historiography of art from the region still needs to be developed and many hidden and suppressed histories have yet to be explored. These papers examine new research models and the important and complex role that archival documentation plays in the construction of new art historical narratives.

9:15–9:30 a.m.
Introduction, Moderator: Rita Eder, Instituto de Investigaciones Estéticas, Mexico City

9:30–9:50 a.m.
Miguel López, Red Conceptualismos del Sur, Lima

9:50–10:10 a.m.
Robin Adele Greeley, University of Connecticut, Mansfield

10:10–10:30 a.m.
Ivonne Pini, Universidad de los Andes, Bogota

10:30–11:00 a.m.
Coffee Break

11:00–11:15 a.m.
Respondent: Maria Angélica Melendi, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte

11:15–12:00 p.m.
Conversation, Moderator: Rita Eder. Respondent: Maria Angélica Melendi. Participants: Miguel López, Robin Adele Greeley, and Ivonne Pini.

12:00–12:30 p.m.
Q&A

12:30–2:00 p.m.
Lunch Break

Session IV
The Archival Impulse: Accessing Documents in the Museum and the Politics of Knowledge (Part 2)
Collecting archives has become a trend during the last few years; museums purchase and exhibit them with the promise that documents will be completely accessible. This session explores how censorship and dictatorship have threatened the formation and conservation of archives, as well as the archive's role in promoting critical thinking. This new "archival moment" bears witness to a situation that is both worrying and stimulating.

2:00–2:30 p.m.
Introduction, Moderator: Andrea Giunta, University of Texas at Austin

2:30–2:50 p.m.
Rodrigo Alonso, Universidad de Buenos Aires

2:50–3:10 p.m.
Cristina Freire, Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de la Universidad de São Paulo

3:10–3:30 p.m.
Mari Carmen Ramírez, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

3:30–4:00 p.m.
Coffee Break

4:00–4:15 p.m.
Respondent: Joaquín Barriendos, Universidad de Barcelona

4:15–5:00 p.m.
Conversation, Moderator: Andrea Giunta. Respondent: Joaquín Barriendos. Participants: Rodrigo Alonso, Cristina Freire and Mari Carmen Ramírez.

5:00–5:30 p.m.
Q&A

Day Three: Sunday, March 13, 2011
9:00 a.m.–6:30 p.m.; Balboa Event Center, Museum of Latin American Art, Long Beach
Admission is free. Reservations required for each day. For more information or to register for the symposium contact symposiummolaa.org. Note, late arrivals cannot be guaranteed seating.

8:30–9:00 a.m.
Check-in and Coffee

9:00–9:15 a.m.
Welcome, Richard P. Townsend, Museum of Latin American Art, Long Beach
Introduction, Cecilia Fajardo-Hill, Museum of Latin American Art, Long Beach

Session V
Curatorial Models: Emblematic Art Historical Cases (Part 1)
This session combines theoretical and art historical issues with direct analysis of emblematic case studies that may suggest future models of curatorial practice. Papers discuss the confluence, or lack thereof, between strict art historical practice and the curatorial field as seen in emblematic cases and future curatorial projects, as well as the ways in which theory informs curatorial practice and the differences between curatorial practices depending on the historical or contemporary nature of the exhibition.

9:15–9:30 a.m.
Introduction, Moderator: Beatriz González, Museo Nacional de Colombia, Bogota

9:30–9:50 a.m.
Luis Camnitzer, State University of New York College at Old Westbury

9:50–10:10 a.m.
Gabriel Pérez-Barreiro, Fundación Patricia Phelps de Cisneros, New York

10:10–10:30 a.m.
Tania Bruguera, Art Institute of Chicago

10:30–11:00 a.m.
Coffee Break

11:00–11:15 a.m.
Respondent: Cuauhtémoc Medina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City

11:15–12:00 p.m.
Conversation, Moderator: Beatriz González. Respondent: Cuauhtémoc Medina. Participants: Luis Camnitzer, Gabriel Pérez-Barreiro and Tania Bruguera.

12:00–12:30 p.m.
Q&A

12:30–2:00 p.m.
Lunch Break

Session VI
Curatorial Models: Emblematic Contemporary Cases (Part 2)
This session focuses on the analysis of emblematic contemporary art exhibitions. Papers explore the differences between art historical curatorial practice and contemporary curatorial art practice, given that a historical approach requires a specialized and contextualized practice, whereas contemporary curating calls for an international context.

2:00–2:30 p.m.
Introduction , Moderator: Taiyana Pimentel, Sala de Arte Público Siqueiros, Mexico City

2:30–2:50 p.m.
Magali Arriola, Independent curator, Mexico City

2:50–3:10 p.m.
Arturo Duclos, Artist, and independent scholar and curator, Santiago de Chile

3:10–3:30 p.m.
Inti Guerrero, Independent curator, Amsterdam

3:30–4:00 p.m.
Coffee Break

4:00–4:15 p.m.
Respondent: Gerardo Mosquera, Independent curator and scholar, Havana

4:15–5:00 p.m.
Conversation, Moderator: Taiyana Pimentel. Respondent: Gerardo Mosquera. Participants: Magali Arriola, Arturo Duclos and Inti Guerrero.

5:00–5:30 p.m.
Q&A

5:30–6:30 p.m.
Closing Reception

For symposium-related questions, e-mail symposiummolaa.org. Note, late arrivals cannot be guaranteed seating.