Exhibition of Argentine artists at the New York Triennale

Every three years one of the most important art meetings on the planet is held with artists from our Spanish-speaking continent. Argentina will be represented by 25 established and emerging creators, who will exhibit their works in places such as the Bronx Art Space, Queens College Art Gallery, Pace University Art Gallery, Staten Island Museum, Lehman College Art Gallery Longwood Art Galleryand among others, the special exhibition in the halls of the Argentine Consulate in New York as part of and in homage to the Triennale with a special invitation from its directors and the curatorship of the visual artist and cultural manager Prof. Marcelo Cofone.

The Argentine representation for this triennial is made up of artists Guido Ignatti, Lucia Fainzilber, Mariela Martin, Natacha Voliakovsky, Lucia Warck-Meister, Melanie Passardi, Mariana Saur Palmieri, Graciela Cassel, Alicia Candiani, Gustavo Amenedo, Luciano Pozo, Silvia Dolores Rocca, Julieta Warman. In the halls of the consulate, on the other hand, Gabriel Alvarez, Cristina Fresca, Natalia Volpe, Jacinto Muñoz, Carto Mondes, Dardo Fabián Flores, Gabriel Mahia and Mariana Campo Lagorio, Gustavo Larsen, Gladys Rosa Pérez, Sabrina Merayo Núñez, Silvia Battistuzzi, Julieta Warman, Gustavo Amenedo and Luciano Pozo.

image.png

Book of Miracles from the Books of Origin series. Wood, plaster, acrylic, metal. 26 high x 21 wide x 7 thick. 2020. Work of Gabriel Álvarez.

Drawings, paintings, sculptures, engravings, objects, installations, videos and performances are the works they present with a common theme and their global perspective with a work created for the occasion: “Abya Yala: structural origins” (Mature Land, Living Land or Flourishing Land) examines the various processes and forms of creation inspired by traditional methodologies, materials and concepts that have been implemented during the different phases of cultural and intellectual growth of the American continent. The proposed theme explores the inevitable impact that past generations have had on the aesthetic, cultural or social values ​​present in contemporary art in Latin America today. It also refers to the evolutionary processes in the arts that have influenced the different transformations that Latin American art has undergone.

image.png

“In the exhibitions that make up this edition of Triennial in New York 2022 (NYLAAT for its acronym in English) we also try to establish the link between contemporary art in the continent and the premeditated use of native materials, elements and expressive forms of the first inhabitants of this region from mats, baskets, jewelery, ceramics, fabrics, altars, rituals, paintings closely related to tapestries, sculptures in clay, stone, metal, etc. ”, details the direction of the triennial.

image.png

Cofone he is a visual artist, graphic artist (EPA) and set designer (UNA); Cultural manager and independent curator for artistic productions in Buenos Aires, New York and Barcelona; co-founder of the AAVRA Association of Visual Artists of the Argentina Republic; He has held exhibitions of his work since 1986. Professor FADU-University of Buenos Aires 2012-2020; Project Space NY International Artist in Residence Scholarship (2021/22).

Journalist: What criteria do you use to select the works for the exhibition?

Marcelo Cofone: When I was called by the direction of the Triennale to be the curator of the Argentine representation in homage to the Triennale, they detailed the theme of this edition: “Abya Yala: Structural Origins” (Mature Land, Living Land or Flourishing Land). In this way I had a reference that guided me to start seeing artists who could have an aesthetic and content affinity with that theme. Even knowing that it was a personal and therefore subjective task, I knew I could opt for different interpretations and I found a good balance in a selection of different generations of artists and with very wide means between them. I visited many workshops and contacted interior artists who responded with quality works and a deep commitment to the role of representing our country. Since then everything has been simpler up to 60 works selected by Tucumán, Córdoba, Santa Fé, Buenos Aires and the Federal Capital, to be exhibited in the halls of the Argentine consulate.

Journalist: What is the potential of Argentine artists compared to their colleagues from other countries?

Marcelo Cofone: They clearly respond with tremendous professional ability and with works that reflect the current potential these artists have in the region and in demanding cities and markets like New York. We are present in important biennials and recognized spaces such as the MoMa museum, the Venice Biennale, the San Pablo Biennale, Documenta in Kassel and in important events where Argentine art does not go unnoticed. Argentina has great possibilities in the world of visual arts but we have a limit which is the physical distance and the complex task of moving the works without having to pay expensive shipping. We hope to have more structures in this aspect.

image.png

What is the New York Triennial of Latin American Art?

The New York Triennial of Latin American Art It is the product of the evolutionary need of an artistic project that was born in 2008 with the Biennial of Latin American Art in the Bronx. From the outset and under the auspices of the Bronx Hispanic Festival, the primary objective is to stimulate creative work to elevate Latin American contemporary art. The purpose of the creation of NYLAAT was to promote a platform for the exposure and recognition of Latin American artists inside and outside the United States. NYLAAT fosters an illustrative need that reflects social concerns through art, being a space for discussion, reconfiguration of proposals and trends.

It is an international event that takes place every three years. It consists of multiple large-format exhibitions, which have seen the participation of over 800 artists, conferences and urban interventions. Local and international artists are selected to participate with samples of contemporary productions with a theme that unites them (painting, sculpture, photography, performances, installations, videos, interventions on public roads, etc.), which become centers of interest; because they exhibit the most advanced and representative of each country, to provoke controversy, discussions, analysis of issues related to the environment, politics, social issues, immigration, etc. and theoretical debates on contemporary art, which dialogue with the theme generally chosen by the curators. The Triennial of Latin American Art in New York intends to continue to expand this legacy, investing its vast experience in projects developed in the Latin American context.

The goal of the Triennale dell’Arte

The New York Triennial of Latin American Art is dedicated to the organization of contemporary art exhibitions and cultural programming through which it seeks to promote and enrich our Latin American culture.

These exhibitions are intended to provide various educational programs that allow a place to engage with expressions of contemporary art and investigate a deeper understanding of its role in society. We believe in the fundamental role of education and promotion through art and in the conservation of the artistic and historical cultural heritage of the Latin American and Caribbean region.

The New York Triennial of Latin American Art seeks to galvanize the cultural landscape of communities, integrate the visual arts and academic programs of galleries and institutions, and promote a broader appreciation of contemporary art and cultural understanding.