Caroline – International Arts & Artists

Alumni Spotlight: André Onofre Limírio Chaves

May 7, 2024May 6, 2024 by Caroline

We love catching up with our wonderful J-1 exchange visitors and hearing about how their programs impacted their lives and careers. Today, we are excited to share our J-1 scholar, André’s, experience. André is a Doctoral student in Science and Culture in History at the Federal University of Minas Gerais, in Brazil. With plenty of passion and experience in the museum and cultural spaces, Andre landed himself a very exciting curatorial internship at The Frick Collection in the spring of 2023.

What were some projects you worked on during your time at The Frick?
My main task was to organize the documentation and published material on the Spanish painting collection. My supervisor was putting together a new catalog about these paintings so I had the opportunity to study and research the works of Francisco Goya and El Greco. I carried out research in institution’s archive and also in the Frick Art Reference Library. I was able to organize and research documents and bibliographical materials for four paintings.

Were you able to visit other cultural institutions around New York?
I had the opportunity to visit the best museums and galleries in New York. I visited Neue Galerie, The Met, Jewish Museum, Guggenheim, Sotheby’s, TEFAF, Brooklyn Museum, Whitney Museum, Natural History Museum, New York Historical Society, Spanish Society, MoMa, and Morgan Library. My first time walking at the Central Park, seeing The Met and other museums was so important for me, so special. My favorite part of The Met is the American Wing, as I got to see how American art has developed from the colonial period to the present day.

Do you have a favorite moment or experience from your program?
My favorite moments were when I went to Sotheby’s auction house and the TEFAF Art Fair, where I could understand how the art market in NY is, the role of researchers in this process, and being able to see incredible works of art. My second favorite moment was my visit to the exhibition “Juan de Pareja – Afro Hispanic Painter” at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where the entire curatorial and educational team had a guided tour with the curator of the exhibition. In such a way, I was able to understand the concept of the exhibition from the beginning to the end, observing the role of the curators in the creation of the exhibitions.

What is one of the most exciting things you learned?
I had the opportunity to learn from the best curators in the USA, who gave me tips on how to organize an art exhibition, how to describe the objects, how to read a painting in order to understand the compositions, the state of conservation, and also the artists’ intentions. I learned a lot with The Frick’s curators. For me, who lives in a country with few museums of European art, it was an enriching and unique experience, as it is a way of understanding art beyond the academic world.

Since the end of his program almost one year ago, André is back in his home country of Brazil, in Belo Horizonte. He is in the last few months of his PhD while also working as a document historian at the Minas Gerais Court Archive. At 7 years old, the archive is relatively new.

He is using his experience and new knowledge from his internship to create catalogues, videos, articles, and social media posts to publicize their archive and share them with the public.

“A lot of important documents from 18^th, 19^th, and 20th centuries were lost because of improper care or bad conditions or simply being thrown away. Professionals decided to create a space to preserve and organize these documents. It’s important to show Brazilians and international researchers the importance of these documents and why they should be saved because they hold an important piece of Brazilian history.”

Thank you for talking with us, André! We loved hearing about the important work you are doing to preserve and share history through art.

Want to share your story with us? Send us an email to get started!

Alumni Spotlight: Sahil Yadav

October 2, 2023September 25, 2023 by Caroline

Summer 2023 was a busy one for CEP but we are back with an alumni update! (By the way, from May to September, we had over sixty exchange visitors come to the U.S. to start their programs! Wow!)

Alright, now on to the blog: today we are excited to introduce Sahil Yadav, an animator and digital artist from India, who completed his J-1 scholar program as an Artist in Residence at the Experimentally Structured Museum of Art (ESMoA). ESMoA serves as an experimental artistic center in the South Bay and greater Los Angeles areas, encouraging locals to reimagine what art programming and art spaces can look like.

Even though Sahil’s program was only two months long, he was able to participate in plenty of events and activities. He taught three “Just Draw 2-D Effects” workshops and led three animation classes at a local middle school. At the end of his residency, ESMoA held an open studio showcase to share all the work he created throughout the residency.

Keep scrolling to find out more about Sahil’s wonderful experience in LA, as he explored animation in the birthplace of Hollywood.

Can you tell us about some of the activities and responsibilities you had during your program?

During my stay [at ESMoA], I conducted a number of events which included:

Three “Just Draw” Sessions where l taught the participants about 2DFX sketches from basic to intermediate level and worked out water 2DFX animations.
Three classes for the students of El Segundo Middle School. We discussed what is animation, what are its types, and how we make one. They worked out their water drop flipbook animation which was followed by a little animation of their own.
An open studio event, where I presented my learnings, journey, and an exclusive animation made for the organization.

Sounds fascinating! How did the residency influence your communication skills as an artist?

My communication skills have been greatly influenced in a positive manner. Being able to communicate is a major milestone for an artist whether it is through art or vocal form. I learned how to break down things that are easily digestible for a participant or a viewer. Along with the enhancement in my teaching skills, I learned about American culture and art and that has greatly affected my broad view and understanding.

What did you learn about American culture, design, and arts?

American culture is vast and influential. I was exposed to animation studios, original art pieces, by specifically Disney. It presented me with how they were motivated to bring the animation wave, even with restricted resources. My visit to museums exposed me to beautifully crafted storyboards and character designs. I learned about how to bring character into an inanimate object just by manipulating flow and volume. I felt motivated and moved by my visit to the Academy Museum.

Sahil also kept busy by visiting lots of museums and cultural organizations with his peers and new friends! Eva Sweeney, Co-Founder and Director of ESMoA and Sahil’s supervisor, said:

Each week was filled with visits to different cultural art and science institutions, including LACMA, The Academy Museum, The Natural History Museum, and The Science Center, and the Long Beach Aquarium. We even had the pleasure of taking him with our team to Frieze LA, where he got to see exhibitions from LA’s top arts galleries. Sometimes he would attend these cultural activities by himself or with our staff, while other times he would make friends from his “Just Draw” sessions, who would take him to art openings around the greater LA area.

Any last thoughts you’d like to share?

My supervisor and colleagues were immensely helpful during my stay and in the execution of assignments. They were able to guide me and help me clear my thoughts to take an idea from raw form to the final presentation. They helped me by providing all the necessary resources and conducting the teaching sessions smoothly. My host environment was the best experience for me. They were really helpful and provided more than needed. I am happy that I got to know them.

Thank you Sahil and ESMoA!

Want to share your own J-1 experience with us? We'd love to hear from you! Reach out to us here.

When Science Meets Art: Conserving Asian Paintings

January 23, 2024April 13, 2023 by Caroline

Tucked away between the busy streets of Washington D.C. is the small but mighty Nishio Conservation Studio. This studio, which was been comfortably operating in their custom-made lofted space since 1995, combines aspects of traditional Japanese craftsmanship with modern Western science to provide the highest quality conservation work for their clients. Focusing primarily on conserving Asian paintings, folding screens (called byōbu), and hanging scrolls (called kakemono), the artists at Nishio’s Studio bring these artworks back to life with the utmost care and vibrancy.

Yu-Ting Hsu is a student at the Graduate Institute of Conservation of Cultural Relic and Museology at Tainan National University of Arts in Taiwan. Her specialization is in Conservation of Paper and Asian Paintings, making Nishio’s studio the perfect place for her J-1 visa program. During her internship, she learned how to approach conservation in a professional setting and how to examine and prepare paintings for treatment by making starch paste, cutting papers, and cleaning brushes. For her final project, she even made her own Japanese style scroll! When Yu-Ting was not on site at Nishio’s, she explored hiking trails in Virginia and visited the many free museums that D.C. has to offer.

Before the end of the program, the Cultural Exchange Programs team was able to visit with Yu-Ting at Nishio’s for a full day of conservation education. Did you know that in order to achieve rich blue and green colors on byōbu, artists would use crushed azurite and malachite? Now you do! Scroll on to see what else Yu-Ting shared with us.

What was a project you enjoyed working on during your program?
There is a four-panel screen from Utah Museum of Fine Arts (UMFA). The artist is Chiura Obata. The object was in poor condition. The screen had spilt into two sections. Overall discoloration was present in the paper and foxing spots* were present throughout the panels. I took part in the whole process of conservation of the four-panel screen. We started with removing the painting from wooden border, then removing backing paper. After consolidating the color, we bleached the foxing spots and washed the painting. In the mid-October, conservators and curators from the UMFA visited studio to check the four-panel screen. They were satisfied with the after-treatment condition!

*Foxing spots are brown and rust colored spots that appear on old paper. If the paper has a certain level of iron or other substances present in it, exposure to a specific temperature and humidity will create the foxing.

What did you learn about the arts culture in America? What was your favorite cultural activity?
I had visited a lot museum, like National Gallery of Arts, Freer Gallery of Arts, and The Kreeger Museum. I saw collections that I had not seen it before. My host had arranged for me to visit the conservation lab at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Those experiences helped me to get more information not only conservation cases but also the network.

The most impressive [activity] was the concert at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library. My host is involved in a band and he invited me to the performance. My favorite song in the concert was “Moon River”. I really enjoyed it!

Alumni Spotlight: Amy Bruning

February 13, 2023 by Caroline

Welcome to our first alumni spotlight of 2023! We are thrilled to feature J-1 research scholar, Amy Bruning, from Scotland. Amy is a mixed media artist who currently lives in Finland where she is pursuing her Master’s degree in animation. From August 2021 until May 2022, she participated in an Artists-in-Residency (AIR) program at Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute (MWPAI) and within the PrattMWP College of Art and Design Program, which was a “truly life changing” experience for her!

Amy’s residency was nothing short of productive. Throughout the 9-month program, she planned and taught community art classes to adults and kids, and facilitated projects for the museum’s Art Alive projects. She also taught two Light, Color, and Design courses to university students as part of the College of Art and Design program. Most excitingly, Amy was able to create works for her own exhibition, Days of Healing, which explored the journey of healing from grief and trauma through the various stages of coping with loss.

Can you tell us what you have been doing since finishing your exchange program?
I am pursuing my Master’s with the Re:Anima: European Joint Master in Animation program. It’s a collaboration between three universities, LUCA School in Belgium, Aalto University in Finland, and Universidade Lusófona in Portugal I am working on a research dossier for an expanded animation installation that I will be working on over the next two years. I recently put together an exhibition of animated projections and animated paintings, which was as part of the research and I will be taking this work further in May of this year during an artist residency in Italy.

Looking back, what are your thoughts about your exchange program?
I had a really amazing time on my exchange. It set me on a new career path and helped me to pursue what I truly wanted to do. Working as a community art instructor, as well as an adjunct professor at PrattMWP in Utica, New York, an extension campus of Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, allowed me to rediscover my love of teaching. I would like to pursue a teaching career in higher education when I finish my Master’s.

How did your experience contribute to your career outside the U.S. and in your home country?
I am now able to live and work as an artist. When I returned to Scotland, I was able to secure another 4-month artist residency. I received a full scholarship for this Master’s program, which allows me to work on my artistic practice freely for the next two years. Prior to the exchange, I was supporting myself by working as a designer and editor while trying to pursue my artistic practice in the evenings and weekends. It was quite difficult and I didn’t enjoy the jobs I had. This opportunity gave me a huge boost in my art career and I do not think I would be where I am now without it.

Do you have any specific advice for new exchange visitors coming to the U.S.?
As soon as you arrive, try to immerse yourself into the place you are staying. Ask everyone you meet to go for a coffee and just really put yourself out there. Say yes to every opportunity and try to travel as much as possible.

Audrey Hasen Taylor, Community Arts Education + Residency Director at MWPAI, also shared thoughts with us about Amy’s residency.

“Amy immediately became very active and involved in our local community. She initiated both personal and professional meetings and connections with a variety of creatives in our area; she was commissioned to create a mural in a new retail shop here in Utica. We cannot say enough great things about Amy. We are lucky to have a part in her early art and teaching career.”

We can't wait to see what Amy does next!

If you are a visual artist looking for Painting or Drawing residency, the AIR program that Amy attended is accepting applications through March 20, 2023. Learn more about the AIR program here, or send us as email at outreach@artsandartists.org to learn about our exchange opportunities.

Radio Reporting with Violette

September 27, 2023August 1, 2022 by Caroline

Welcome back to another exchange visitor profile! Today, we catch up with Violette, a J-1 intern from France who is completing her program at KPFA Radio in Berkeley, CA. Back in France, Violette is a journalism student at Sciences Po Rennes so her background in communications makes her a great fit for the KPFA team!

What are your day to day activities like?

Every morning I am assigned a story/event to cover in SF with the press release related to it. I prepare my interview questions and do some background research to get the context of the story. Then I go on the field, I record ambiance, statements and interview several people. I also take some pictures for [our] social media. Afterwards I go back to the radio station to write my script, edit the sound clips and send it to my editor for correction.

What kind of events do you report on?

I mainly work on social and political current events. The nature of the event can be very different depending on the topic. I’ve covered a rally to protest against a hospital closure, political meetings (city council of Berkeley, S.F. Board of Supervisors), and a protest to defend women’s reproductive rights. Sometimes I also work remotely in the radio station to cover political events that take place in Washington D.C.

What have you learned from your exchange program so far about American life and culture?

Field reporting is a great opportunity to learn about American culture and civilization! As an example, when I attend a political event, like the Board of Supervisors meeting, I learn a lot about the working of the American political system, which is really complex and so different from our French one. From a sociological point of view, protest and rallies are also a good occasion to understand what is at stake at the local level in San Francisco like homeless and affordable housing issues, gun violence, and racial inequalities. I was particularly surprised about the way the Silicon Valley and the tech culture impact the socioeconomic inequalities in the area.

How has this experience helped your English speaking skills so far?

I have to practice my written and spoken English every single day. I can write a news script in English. I have improved my ability to understand oral and written English without using a translation or extra help. My final goal would be to be able to record myself on my own report with a good English pronunciation.

We love hearing about our exchange visitor’s wonderful experiences. If you are an IA&A exchange visitor and would like to chat with us about your program, please send us an email!

Growing as an Artist Through Cultural Exchange

April 14, 2023March 7, 2022 by Caroline

Welcome back to our first blog in…a while! Did you miss us? We’d like to welcome you back with a spotlight post on research scholar, Patrick Quarm. Originally from Ghana, Patrick is exploring his creativity and learning about personal development as a Studio Fellow at NXTHVN in New Haven, CT.

Founded in 2018, NXTHVN is a groundbreaking institution that combines the best of arts and entrepreneurship. Through access, education, programming and impact investing, NXTHVN launches the careers of artists and curators and strengthens the livelihood of its local community. Cornerstone programs include its renowned fellowship to educate and accelerate emerging and underrepresented artists, paid arts apprenticeships for local teens and business incubation to nurture cultural and capital value in the neighborhood.

Here’s what Patrick had to say about his program so far!

Can you tell us about some of your responsibilities and duties at NXTHVN?

Part of the program requirement is being in the studio and working on paintings that are connected to my current and ongoing research about social evolution and hybrid theory. I am required to be present for seminars organized with professionals to teach us about the art world and how to navigate it as a young and upcoming artist. I have been assigned an apprentice who I mentor and meet with twice a week for 3 hours. Working with an apprentice, teaching and mentoring, has been one of the best responsibilities of the program.

What are some new skills you are learning?

The program allows me to have the freedom to create what I am interested in as an artist and gives me the freedom to experiment with ideas, tools, and materials. I have gained a lot through the professional development seminars and discussions [like] the art of negotiating with a potential gallery interested in working with me, being able to talk about my work intellectually, and write a good artist statement.

What is your final goal for your program?

At the end of the year, my main goal is to see my work develop [and] gain access to galleries, collectors, and museums. Through these institutions, an artist is able to build his career. It’s been such a great experience and I am looking forward to learning more before the end of the program.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts, Patrick!