Exchange Programs

Host Spotlight: UnionDocs

by

Based in Brooklyn, NY, UnionDocs (UNDO) is a non-profit Center for Documentary Art that presents, produces, publishes, and educates. It brings together a diverse community of activist artists, experimental media-makers, dedicated journalists, big thinkers, and local partners to search for urgent expressions of the human experience, practical perspectives on the world today, and compelling visions for the future.

Each year, International Arts & Artists partners with UNDO to provide J-1 visa sponsorship for international fellows participating in the Collaborative Studio (CoLAB) program. This ten-month fellowship brings together individual talents, voices, and stories to create multi-dimensional documentaries. CoLAB offers a platform for these artists to explore contemporary approaches to the documentary arts and a process for developing an innovative collaborative project. The program consists of weekly production meetings, seminars, screenings and other public programs, along with regular masterclasses and critiques with visiting artists.

We recently caught up with Ansh Vohra, one of the 2017-18 CoLAB fellows, and Sarah Lerner, UNDO’s Director of Operations, to learn more about the CoLAB program and UNDO’s experience as a J-1 host organization.

Sarah, what are some of your favorite things about hosting exchange visitors?

We are able to host up to six international fellows and six local fellows each year as part of our CoLAB program. The opportunity is as valuable for us as it is for them, as we greatly appreciate being able to expand our documentary arts community on a global scale. We have extensive international partnerships on our public facing events and workshops by bringing together artists, journalists, critics and curators from around the world, so we feel it is important to continue the tradition within the film production side of the organization as well. One of our primary goals as part of our fellowship program is to create multi-dimensional pieces in a collaborative format, and cross-cultural exchange is one of the most effective ways to do that.

Ansh, what impact has your J-1 experience with UnionDocs had on your life and your career?

UnionDocs came into my life at a time when I was just beginning to comfortably settle into my work as a filmmaker. However, I wasn’t sure that being comfortable was the right thing to do at the age of 25. I began making film four years ago and I couldn’t help but wonder whether I’d pushed myself to have new experiences. My time here at UnionDocs has been a big step forward in overcoming that obstacle. I’ve had the opportunity to challenge my notions of what makes for a good film, and I feel as though I will come out of this opportunity a filmmaker who isn’t afraid to take risks. Additionally, living in the United States, and in New York especially, has given me the opportunity to interact with cultures that I wouldn’t otherwise be privy to back home in Delhi. I’m working on projects that focus on people of Indian, Syrian and Azeri origins, something that probably wouldn’t have been possible in any other city in the world.

Sarah, what are some of activities that CoLAB fellows get to take part in?

​​Our fellows spend ten months at UnionDocs, meeting twice a week for production meetings, master classes and seminars with notable members of the documentary field. We have had the opportunity to work with notable filmmakers (such as Deborah Stratman), radio producers (such as Jad Abumrad) and curators (such as ​ Sally Berger​). We are sponsored by AbelCine, one of the industry’s most comprehensive sources for state-of-the-art camera equipment and accessories. Our fellows receive training support from AbelCine staff. ​We are also sponsored by Canon, who lease cameras for Collaborative Studio productions.

Ansh, what are some of the projects that you’ve been working on during your time at UnionDocs?

I’m currently working on three documentary projects at UnionDocs, two of which I’m directing. The first one is a film that follows three immigrant narratives that originate within a 100 miles of each other in Punjab (India) and culminate in a taxi school in Queens, NY. The second one, which I’m co-directing with Daniel Sitts, is an animated film that chronicles the family history of some of the first few Syrians to arrive in the United States back in the 1890s. The third one follows an Azerbaijani family and tells the story of a generational divide between a traditionally Azeri grandmother and her American granddaughter.

Sarah, tell us about some of the cultural activities that UnionDocs fellows participate in during their program!

Our fellows are able to attend all of the 100+ events held at UnionDocs free of charge, and are encouraged to do so. We take an annual trip to the Camden International Film Festival in Maine each fall. Group field trips have also included Documentary Fortnight at MoMA, Art of the Real at Film Society Lincoln Center and HotDocs in Toronto. In addition, we share word of local events at other micro-cinemas and festival opportunities that might be of interest.

Ansh, what does cultural exchange mean to you?

Over the past couple of months, I’ve had the opportunity to meet and work with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures. We’re a group of people you would usually have never found inside one room had it not been for a program like UnionDocs and International Arts & Artists. To work with all of them as equals, exchange ideas, collaborate on projects and become friends has been an incredible experience. I will hopefully be in touch with everyone for a long time.

Learn more about the CoLAB program here and follow Ansh Vohra on Instagram!

IA&A Presents Research at the Global Ties U.S. National Meeting

by

Last month, IA&A’s Cultural Exchange Programs team was delighted to participate in the Global Ties U.S. National Meeting right here in Washington, DC! IA&A is a National Member of Global Ties U.S., an organization that strengthens relationships between individuals and nations by making international exchange programs more effective. As a National Member, IA&A shares the commitment to promoting a peaceful, prosperous world through international exchange.

Our team was thrilled to represent IA&A at the National Meeting and to share the findings of our International Partnership Initiative report, Art in Context: The Current State of International Cultural Engagement, at the annual event’s very first poster session.

We had a fantastic time learning about the local, national, and international efforts of Global Ties U.S. members to initiate, sustain, and drive exchange opportunities. The passion and dedication was contagious, and our team left even more inspired to advocate for exchange programs. Program Officer Chris Sciotto was happy to elaborate, saying “[Director] Jennifer Schrock and I met an incredible array of people in the exchange, arts, and culture communities. We really left feeling inspired and with such an emboldened sense of purpose and possibility for the future of cultural exchanges.”

IA&A and the Cultural Exchange Programs team looks forward to connecting with other members of the Global Ties U.S. community to promote IA&A’s mission of cross-cultural understanding. Read the report below, and we hope to see you next year!

Can You Name Five Women Artists?

by

The National Museum of Women in the Arts’ social media campaign #5WomenArtists is back! According to NMWA, work by women artists makes up only 3 to 5 percent of major permanent collections in the United States and Europe, which might be why some have such a hard time answering the question, “Can you name 5 women artists?”

In 2017, more than 520 national and international cultural institutions and nearly 11,000 individuals joined the campaign to promote women artists. This year, museums, galleries, and arts organizations around the world are helping spread the #5WomenArtists challenge far and wide. As Susan Fisher Sterling, Director of NMWA, says, “There is no better time than now to raise awareness that the art world also disadvantages women’s opportunities and advancement, with women artists of color experiencing a double disadvantage in an already challenging field.

This Women’s History Month, International Arts and Artists (IA&A) is taking the challenge and sharing the stories of five creative, diverse, and innovative artists who have participated in our J-1 Exchange Visitor Program! Read on to celebrate these artists and join us in contributing to the dialogue on gender inequality in the arts by using the hashtag #5WomenArtists!

Gohar Dashti

From Tehran to DC, Gohar Dashti creates work that connects audiences through a shared humanity. The Iranian artist has spent more than twelve years navigating the various social issues of the world through photography, bringing sensitivity and empathy to the art form. Trained at the Fine Art University of Tehran, Gohar often draws on personal life events in order to build bridges between the personal, universal, real, and political. Her work is inspired by her surroundings, her memory, and her personal perceptions, and it sparks important dialogues about conflict, citizenship, and civility.

IA&A is proud to have supported Gohar in her early career as a participant in IA&A’s ArtBridge program. In 2008, Gohar was part of a group of six emerging and mid-career Iranian photographers who visited the United States to participate in ArtBridge (pol-e honari, in Persian), a unique exchange program coordinated by IA&A. Since participating in ArtBridge, Gohar has become an internationally-acclaimed photographer with exhibitions at prominent museums and galleries around the world including the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Mori Art Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts, and the Contemporary Art Museum, to name a few. She also curated IA&A at Hillyer’s 2017 exhibition Urban Mapping, which featured work by ten Iranian artists that reflected on the impact of political and social transformations of public space on the collective experience of Iranian citizens.

To learn more about Gohar, check out IA&A’s profile on this talented artist! You can also find out more about her work by visiting her website or following her on Instagram!

Mia Daniels

Mia Daniels uses everyday objects to situate her work within a context where myth and the unknown reside. She aims to cultivate a sensitivity in her work as a way to consider uncertainty and the fragile divide between beauty and decay. A scholar from Canada, Mia completed a residency program with the Textile Arts Center (TAC) in Brooklyn, NY. During her time at TAC, she discovered that engaging in textile craft in today’s world can embody both an experience of labor and luxury.

On her creative background, Mia explains, “I grew up in a house filled with beautiful handmade textiles from different parts of the world: Guatemala, Mexico, Indonesia, Thailand, Lao, Nepal, India . . . the art of my home, they embodied my experiences: an intimate recollection of travel, family, adventure, and the ability to immerse yourself in the joyous unknown.”

To learn more about Mia, check out IA&A’s profile on this talented artist! You can also find out more about her work by visiting her website or following her on Instagram! A version of this interview was originally published on the TAC blog by Sam Crow.

Amalia Pica

Born in Argentina and based in London, Amalia Pica uses sculpture, performance, installation, and photography to explore the nuances of communication. Last year, Amalia joined the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art (BMoCA) for the BMoCA + Swoon International Artists Residency during her time as a short-term scholar with IA&A. During her residency, Amalia continued her work on exploring landscape as a romantic background for images that deal with the desire for political expression and on tools utilized to teach language to great apes during the 60s and 70s in America.

Amalia’s work has been exhibited at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago, the Venice Bienniale, and the Tate Modern in London. In 2014, her work was included in the group exhibition, Under the Same Sun, presented at the Guggenheim Museum in New York. Her artwork is part of MACBA, and the Guggenheim’s collection.

You can find out more about Amalia’s work by checking out #AmaliaPica or by following her on Instagram!

Emily Whittingham

Emily Whittingham’s unique internship experience was a fantastic example of the opportunities available through the Exchange Visitor Program! Challenging the stereotypical idea of an internship, Emily used the opportunity to follow her dream of becoming an artist and a puppet maker. She landed an apprenticeship with Puppet Kitchen Productions and spent her internship working alongside some of the best puppet makers in the business.

Each apprentice at Puppet Kitchen Productions also has the opportunity to work on a project of their own during their program. For her project, Emily created a puppet of the Carpenter from Lewis Carroll’s poem The Walrus and the Carpenter. “To me, cultural exchange means taking the step outside of your own home and culture to live in a new land and experience a new culture,” she told us. “With somewhere as diverse as New York City, I feel that cultural exchanges happen almost every day!”

To learn more about Emily, check out IA&A’s profile on this talented artist! You can also find out more about her work by visiting her website, connecting with her on Twitter, or following her on Instagram!

Zemer Peled

Zemer Peled‘s work examines the beauty and brutality of the natural world. Born and raised in Israel, her sculptural language is informed by her surrounding environment and landscapes, and engages with themes of memories, identity, and place. The association of porcelain with refinement and civilization is turned on itself when broken into shards. In Zemer’s organic formations, a whole from the shards is recreated, estranged from its original context, but nonetheless unified by an overall cohesiveness of movement and composition.

In 2013, Zemer participated in IA&A’s program as an artist-in-residence with the Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts in Helena, MT. At the Bray, artists from around the world with a vast range of experiences and diverse aesthetic approaches, cultures, and perspectives come together. Since then, Zemer has exhibited internationally at venues including Sotheby’s and Saatchi Gallery (London), Eretz Israel Museum (Tel Aviv), and the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art (Kansas City), among others. Her work can also be found in many private collections worldwide.

You can find out more about Zemer’s work by visiting her website or by following her on Instagram!

IA&A Launches “Youth Art Month” Photo Contest

by

March is Youth Art Month! It’s a month of promoting art and arts education in the United States, with thousands of American schools and organizations participating, often with the involvement of museums, galleries, and other arts institutions.
IA&A invites our exchange visitors and #J1Alum to submit photos taken during their J-1 visa exchange program that relate to the theme of Youth Art Month! Photos can be of exchange visitors promoting arts education, engaging with museums, creating works of art, or anything else you feel captures the theme.

Winning photographs will be selected based on how well they represent the theme and the unique goals of IA&A’s Cultural Exchanges Program, which is to promote cross-cultural understanding and support the next generation of creative leaders.

The contest winner will receive a $50 Amazon gift card, with a runner-up receiving a $10 Amazon gift card.

How to Participate:

Contestants may submit up to two (2) photos for consideration. Photos must be emailed to programming@artsandartists.org, sent via Instagram direct message to @internationalartsandartists, or sent via Twitter direct message to @IAAExchange, on or before March 31, 2018.

Winners will be notified by email soon after the deadline, and the winning photo will be announced on IA&A’s website and social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter).

Contest Rules:

  • Photos must depict activities that took place during a J-1 visa exchange program sponsored by International Arts & Artists.
  • Photos must be original, high quality photos submitted as a .jpg, .jpeg, .png, or .gif file.
  • Each contestant may submit up to two (2) photos.
  • Each photo submitted must include the photographer’s name and submitter’s name, if different from the photographer.
  • Each photo submitted must include a caption describing the photo or event.

By submitting a photo, contestants grant IA&A a royalty-free, worldwide, perpetual non-exclusive right to display, distribute and reproduce the entry for promotional purposes. Any photo reproduced will include a photographer’s credit.

How to Find a Host Organization

by

We all know that looking for the perfect internship or training program can sometimes feel like searching for a needle in one of Monet’s haystacks paintings! Finding the right host organization can seem like a daunting task, especially when you’re living in a different country. But it can also be a fantastic learning experience that helps you expand your professional network and pushes you outside your comfort zone!

While IA&A can’t find a host organization for you, we can provide recommendations, tips, and tricks to landing your dream internship or training program. We recently caught up with J-1 trainee Sarah for some advice on navigating the application process and snagging the perfect host organization. Keeping reading for 4 ways to find a host organization and start your adventure today!

via GIPHY

NETWORK, NETWORK, NETWORK

A great place to start looking an internship or training program is on job posting websites like Indeed, Glassdoor, Idealist, or internships.com. But did you know that many of the best positions are “invisible”? These positions are not posted to the public because the organization might be looking for someone they already know. This means that you have to do some networking! However, networking doesn’t necessarily have to happen face-to-face. LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram are great places to look for and connect with potential host organizations.

Sarah, an exchange visitor who trained with a design firm in Florida, told us that she used social media to reach out to studios or artists that inspired her. “For me, I found my (eventual) host through Twitter and Linkedin! You need to find the platform where geeks from your industry gather to share ideas,” she explained, adding “Networking is so important. You never know who you’ll meet!”

So, don’t get caught in the trap of using the same few aggregated internship posting sites as everyone else. Use the many resources at your disposal, whether it’s connecting with host organizations through your professional and academic networks or deciding to send out email inquiries. Even something as easy as following and engaging with interesting organizations on social media can lead to interesting opportunities!

via GIPHY

DO YOUR RESEARCH

Sarah emphasized the importance of doing your research and developing a relationship with a prospective host organization. “Approaching a potential host for an internship is like approaching a potential employer when they’re not even offering a job,” she said. “I had first contacted [my host organization] in university. I didn’t originally contact them in pursuit of an internship. I wanted to become friends first and therefore could see if we would be compatible in working together.”

While pursuing an internship or training program with a potential host organization, it’s important to research the company, their work, and the industry in which they operate. This will give you a good sense of what the company does and what they would be like as a host organization. If you have the chance to meet for an informational interview, “compliment or question parts of their portfolio that intrigue or inspire you” said Sarah. She also recommended asking about their journey as a company and even asking for feedback on your own portfolio. “Almost all professionals were students or interns themselves at one point so they understand!”

via GIPHY

HONE YOUR PROFESSIONAL SKILLS

Once you’ve found and developed a relationship with a host organization, Sarah advises not to simply stop there! To set yourself apart from other interns, she recommends further strengthening your professional skill set before you start your program. “It was important that I taught myself as much of the basic skills as possible before I arrived, so I didn’t waste any time when I got there,” she told us. “This means that when it comes to participating the actual internship, you can focus on the more industry specific skills you can’t teach yourself, or find online. I’ve learned a lot about time management, specific presentation layout, scaling and other things I don’t think I could have ‘Googled’ on my own.”

via GIPHY

ALLOW YOURSELF TO BE INSPIRED

Think of your internship or training program as an opportunity to test-drive a career, rather than just a place to gain work experience in a professional setting. “Find out who or what inspires you and where you want to steer your career,” Sarah told us, adding “Then see if you can mold the things that you love into something you could get paid to do.” But perhaps one of the best parts to finding the perfect host organization is the (sometimes unexpected) impact it can have on your career path. “Like everything in life some things don’t go according to plan,” Sarah explains. “Even those things will be a learning curve. It’s all part of the journey.”

So, you’ve found the perfect internship or training program! What next? Start your J-1 visa application with IA&A today! 

Want more tips on how to make your exchange program happen? Read our take on “How To Fund Your Exchange Program” here. 

Soaring in San José with Odwa and Lwando

by

Lwando and Odwa have come a long way together, both literally and figuratively! Dancers from South Africa, the duo first met over twelve years ago and have been friends ever since. From studying together at the Cape Academy of Performing Arts to performing with the Cape Dance Company, the pair have been there for each another at every step of their professional careers.

In 2017, Lwando and Odwa seized the opportunity to train together at the New Ballet School, a classical ballet training program led by Dalia Rawson and based in San José, CA. The duo also benefited from the support of the Gugulethu Ballet Project, a non-profit organization that partners with dance communities to expand opportunities for children in the townships of South Africa. Founded by former American Ballet Theatre soloist Kristine Elliott, the Gugulethu Ballet Project provides scholarships and other resources for exceptionally gifted youth from South Africa to study and train in the United States.

Thanks to the New Ballet School and the Gugulethu Ballet Project, Lwando and Odwa have spent the past few months immersed in the performing arts world of San José. And, from performing The Nutcracker to seeing snow for the first time, they’ve experienced it alongside one another! We caught up with the duo to hear more about their experience in San José, what it’s like living with a host family, and what’s next for these talented dancers.

What’s the best part about participating in an exchange program alongside your friend?

Lwando: Travelling can be hard, especially when you don’t know anyone, so having a friend by my side has been so helpful, especially since I have known Odwa for 12 years. He knows everything about me and I about him. It’s hard being away from home for so long, but Odwa has made it so much easier. Whenever one of us is feeling down we know how to pick the other one up!

Odwa: The best part is to see improvement in each other as we each know our strength and weaknesses. It also made us grow closer as friends because we’re staying under the same roof with our host family.

Can you tell us about living with a host family and how that has impacted your exchange?

Lwando: Living with a host family has been amazing and life changing. They have exposed us to so many new things in California. Odwa and I are now in the process of learning how to drive, which we have always wanted to do but haven’t been able to in South Africa.

Odwa: Our host family is the best and they have truly made this exchange memorable. Before this exchange, I didn’t really take into consideration what I put in my body because back home organic food is really expensive, but they taught me about healthy eating, and my body and dancing has responded positively.

How was performing The Nutcracker for the first time? How does it compare to performing in South Africa?

Lwando: Performing The Nutcracker for the first time was so much fun and a life changing experience, because I never once thought I would perform a historical ballet on stage. I learned about it at my ballet school in South Africa, but I usually perform neo-classical contemporary style. I have to say, I enjoy performing both genres, even though they are widely different.

Odwa: Lwando and I had never performed The Nutcracker before. No company in South Africa does it. It was so nerve wracking for the first few performances because it’s a signature ballet of every ballet company in the United States and you cannot afford to look bad. People who have been performing The Nutcracker their whole lives will even say they are sick of the music, but I ended up loving every moment on stage. I was just enjoying myself, especially when we performed with a live orchestra.

Tell us about a funny or interesting moment you’ve experienced during your program!

Lwando: Performing in public places has been an interesting experience for me, because I had never performed in front of people like that. We performed in the shopping center, and I was amazed to see people appreciating the performance and giving us the respect and silence we needed. This was interesting to me because I had never experienced this in South Africa.

Odwa: Being in the snow for the first time was such an experience. I was like a little kid who is impressed by something he always thought it was a myth. Another interesting thing is the time difference between here and home. I remember back in school we were told that when we have the sunlight in South Africa, other places in the world are dark. So this one time I video called my grandmother and it was crack of dawn for her. The disbelief in her face when I showed her that I must still go to bed was priceless!

What does cultural exchange mean to you?

Lwando: Cultural exchange means people coming together to promote mutual understanding about the place or places they came from. It helps many people learn about other countries and how people live in other places. It also helps build relationships between countries so that we can all know how to work together and make this world a better place.

Odwa: Cultural exchange means being exposed to things that you’re not used to. It means you’re going to find out things you didn’t know about yourself, because you act differently when you’re not in your natural habitat.

What advice can you offer future exchange visitors coming to the United States?

Lwando: I would tell a future exchange visitor that they should never hold themselves back from experiencing all the fun things the US has to offer. They should be nice to people because that’s how you make many friends, and they should always live in the moment while they’re here because these kinds of experiences only come once in a lifetime.

Odwa: Future exchange students should prepare themselves for lots of different American sub-cultures and should be curious enough to learn more about them.

Keep up with Lwando and Odwa by following them on Instagram @iam_lwando22_ and @odwamakanda.

TECRO and IA&A Celebrate Contemporary Art from Taiwan at Twin Oaks

by

On February 3, 2018, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States (TECRO) and International Arts & Artists (IA&A) held an opening reception for the exhibition What do you see? — Meet Taiwan Contemporary Art. The reception was hosted by Ambassador and Mrs. Stanley Kao at Twin Oaks Estate, the government of the Republic of China’s property in Washington, DC.

As a place of history and elegance, Twin Oaks has played a crucial role in promoting the R.O.C.-U.S. relationship for more than 8 decades. To celebrate the 130th anniversary of Twin Oaks, TECRO is hosting an exhibition of contemporary art from Taiwan that represents a dialogue between the estate and modern visual arts. What do you see? — Meet Taiwan Contemporary Art showcases five Taiwanese artists’ works from the collection of Art Bank, Taiwan.

During the opening reception, Ambassador Kao welcomed guests, which included art leaders, artists, collectors, diplomats, and others. Ambassador Kao made remarks on the history of the Twin Oaks estate, the purpose of the Art Bank, Taiwan program, and the role of arts in the Taiwan-U.S. relationship. In his comments, IA&A’s President and Founder David Furchgott highlighted the value of cultural exchange in the visual arts and creative fields. Finally, Yan-Huei Chen, the curator of What do you see? — Meet Taiwan Contemporary Art, introduced the exhibition and her work with Art Bank, Taiwan. Following the remarks, guests were invited to enjoy the reception and continue exploring the exhibition.

What do you see? — Meet Taiwan Contemporary Art

The exhibition What do you see? — Meet Taiwan Contemporary Art will be held from February 3, 2018, to June 30, 2018, at TECRO’s Twin Oaks Estate. The six-month long event showcases artwork from five Taiwanese artists on the subject of reality and the ways in which we interpret our reality through sight and language. The exhibition, which includes paintings and sculpture works, hopes to create a dialogue with local artists and to foster cultural exchange and collaboration between Taiwanese artists and their international peers.

This marks the first time that works from Art Bank, Taiwan will be shown in Washington, DC. A program under the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Art Bank aims to promote artistic creation and the cultivation of Taiwanese artists through a public collection program. Government agencies and private companies are encouraged to rent artwork from Art Bank for display in public places in order to raise appreciation for the arts, increase the circulation of artwork and invigorate the art market in Taiwan.

The exhibition is sponsored by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Culture, Republic of China (Taiwan) and jointly organized by TECRO, National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, and Art Bank, Taiwan.

Taking a Leap of Faith with Megan Shave

by

While pursuing her law degree, Megan Shave decided to take a huge leap of faith and apply for an internship with Chain Camera Pictures. The production company behind the film The Hunting Ground, Chain Camera Pictures had inspired Megan to write her thesis on how social media can be a catalyst for change in legal culture. She had no idea that this bold leap would lead to the opportunity to work alongside the people she admired on social justice issues that she is passionate about. The fact that she was in Los Angeles, the center of the film and entertainment industry, was just a bonus!

Fast forward four months and Megan is now returning to her home country of South Africa with a newfound confidence for her own potential and a new career path. We caught up with Megan to hear about her internship, her experience living in Los Angeles, and the self-growth she experienced during her exchange program.

Why did you choose Chain Camera Pictures for a J-1 internship?

While pursuing my law degree, I chose to do my thesis on how social media could be a catalyst for change in legal culture and how it dealt with rape culture, especially at universities. This paper was inspired by one of Chain Camera Pictures’ films The Hunting Ground, which I watched in class. I realized that law was not right for me at that moment, so I took a chance and asked if I could participate in Chain Camera Picture’s internship program. I had no idea what to expect when I applied because I was still very focused from my legal education background. I was from the other side of the world, and I did not know nearly enough about film (or so I thought) to be a productive member of their team. Yet they took me on!
I do not think I chose Chain Camera Pictures because I would never have the arrogance to think I would be capable of choosing a company as brave, brilliant, and creative as Chain Camera Pictures. Rather, I believe that Chain Camera Pictures chose me to be a small part of their incredible journey. I have thoroughly enjoyed being a part of a team of the most talented, hardworking, dedicated, and inspirational people I have had the pleasure of meeting. Everyday has presented an unbelievable chance to learn, grow, and discover something new about myself, America, or film in general.

What was your favorite part of your internship at Chain Camera Pictures?

To narrow it down to one moment would be impossible. Every activity, no matter how small at the time, has let me grow and develop my skills as a researcher and allowed me to learn an industry I hope to continue working in when I return home. I participated in a phone campaign with [former Vice President] Joe Biden, which was amazing and exceptionally surreal. I was also able to go on set and learn the entire post-production process of a film. My colleagues and I have lunch together every day, which has allowed me to forge really special relationships with all of them. They let me choose research topics and invited me to interesting cultural events to make sure I was getting the most out of my time in Los Angeles.  All of these isolated moments have created the most unbelievable time for me, and I could not thank Chain Camera Pictures enough for having me.

What has it been like living in Los Angeles?

I have experienced a plethora of cultural activities, from attending the tapings of The Late Late Show with James Corden, to attending a live production of Willy Wonka at the Hollywood Bowl to soaking up the awesome theatre and food scene in Los Angeles. I was lucky enough to go to The Museum of Ice Cream, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), and other incredible pop-up exhibitions that exposed me to new artists and encouraged me to diversify my taste in art. Walking around Los Angeles is a cultural experience, with people from all over the world all living and creating in the city, you really are immersed in a cultural melting pot when you live Los Angeles. This has been an incredible place to live and work, and I will forever love the world of art and culture that of Los Angeles created for me.

What does cultural exchange mean to you?

This exchange has meant that I can return to a country that is brimming with potential full of my own potential. I now have the most unbelievable skill set, tastes, preferences and ideas that were given to me from cultural exchange. My previously held beliefs have been expanded, eviscerated, and tested, and I could not thank America enough for that. It has meant that I can grow while also witnessing firsthand how I can help my own country grow. I have been able to educate people about South Africa and what an amazing place it is, while experiencing the unique realities of living in the United States. I have been able to encounter cultures that were previously foreign to me and which I now embrace. Cultural exchange means being extremely far away from all that I know and yet feeling totally at home from the very first moment. It has meant being brave and bold when I was apprehensive and nervous. It has meant being happy and excited while embracing people and experiences that are now so engrained in my future yet absolutely absent from my past.

What advice can you offer to future exchange visitors coming to the United States?

Enjoy, savor, and relish. Those three words have taken on a whole new meaning to me since doing this exchange. Enjoy everything, even the boring or uninteresting moments, because they will be the moments that teach you about yourself, test your patience, and make you grow. Savor every smell, sight, and taste. There is so much diversity in America, and the people, places and things you will encounter are indescribable. You will never experience anything like it again, so make sure you take it all on and embrace every curveball thrown your way. Relish every moment. I cannot fathom how quickly this experience has flown by, and I would not change a thing. Every mistake or choice that I have made has resulted in me meeting new people that will be friends for life, tasting foods that I will crave forever, and teaching me to grow in ways I did not think I needed. So throw away your preconceived notions of America and allow yourself to get caught up in the clichés. After all, you are there to exchange cultures with a completely foreign world, so make sure you embrace that. Do not hesitate to speak up and pursue opportunities that cross your path because they will not come around again, so pursue them and be proud of yourself for taking such a leap.

To read more from Megan, connect with her on Twitter!

Art in Context: Japan

by

On January 24, 2018, IA&A hosted Art in Context: Japan, a discussion on Japanese culture, identity, and the broader conditions impacting creative work and partnerships. The event was held at IA&A at Hillyer during visual artist Kei Ito’s exhibition Only What We Can Carry. Along with Ito, the panel also featured Laurel Lukaszewski, a DC-based artist and director of White Point Studio, and Matt Levitas, the Cultural Affairs Coordinator at the Japan Information & Culture Center at the Embassy of Japan. The conversation was moderated by Allison Nance, Director of IA&A at Hillyer. A reception sponsored by Teaism and Matsukawaya followed the program. Guests were able to taste freshly-made matcha and wagashi, a traditional Japanese sweet.

Ito opened the conversation by telling the audience about his own experience as a third generation Hiroshima descendant and American immigrant. He explained that his art can be a reflection of the past and a commentary on the political present, while still being a symbol of hope for a brighter future. With another piece on view at the Baltimore War Memorial, Ito expressed hope that his art would reach a wide audience of Americans who may never step foot in a gallery.

Lukaszeweski and Levitas both spoke about the connections between art and public diplomacy. Having been an exchange student in a rural Japanese town after college, Lukaszeweski spoke about how this experience shaped her art and led her to champion American-Japanese relations. As a board member of the Cherry Blossom Festival in DC, Lukaszeweski strives to spotlight a kaleidoscope of artists that display a broad swath of Japanese culture. Levitas also added that the Embassy of Japan is dedicated to exposing Americans to Japanese culture not just through the visual arts, but also through alternative creative avenues such as sports, design, and technology. People-to-people exchanges in the creative fields are vital and art is a medium that transcends borders, opens dialogues, and encourages cross-cultural understanding. As Ito eloquently explained, “Art has more power than everyone thinks.”

________________________________________________________

A project of IA&A’s Cultural Exchange Programs, the International Partnership Initiative champions international work between American arts institutions and their counterparts abroad by creating a forum for discussion and discovery among leaders in the artistic, academic, diplomatic, and policy communities. The Initiative’s research and programming facilitates cross-cultural understanding and builds stronger ties through global partnerships in the arts.

A Bibliophile’s Guide to the Book Business

by

Enobong Essien always knew that she wanted to share her love of stories with others. Growing up, she surrounded herself with books and eagerly read whatever she could get her hands on. Her passion for reading led her to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature, writing in her spare time for her blog, Coconut Confessions.

For the past three months, Enobong has been interning with Booklist, the American Library Association’s review journal for public and school librarians. Booklist reviews over 8000 books each year to help librarians select books, develop their collections, and advise readers. As an intern, Enobong has received a crash course in magazine publishing and an overview of the American publishing world. She’s also had the opportunity to review books for the Booklist blog.

We caught up with Enobong to hear more about her internship experience and her must-dos in Chicago!

What impact has your exchange experience had on your life and your career?

My J-1 experience has taught me a lot about adapting to a new workplace and making new relationships. Career-wise, I know now that I definitely want to enter into publishing, and I feel like I have a better idea about how to enter into the industry. It has opened my eyes to see that there are people as passionate about books and publishing as I am.

What was your favorite memory from your exchange experience?

My favourite memory is actually doing the mail with the other intern here. I had no idea just how many books are published every day and the range in qualities. I do wonder how there is a market for some of the books we open in the mail. My other favourite thing has been writing reviews. I love to read anyway, but it’s nice to add another purpose to reading for leisure.

What was your favorite thing to do in Chicago?

My favourite cultural activity was going to the downtown lighting ceremony and parade. The parade was unlike anything we have in England. I’ve also enjoyed attending live sports games, I’ve seen a football and a hockey game. But I love how metropolitan Chicago is and how vast the music scene and varied the arts and museum scene is. I spent a lot of my free time attending live music events and exploring art galleries and museums. Chicago also has some spectacular architecture, and in October, they had an open house, opening up otherwise private buildings to the public. I was allowed into City Hall and saw the inside of some amazing buildings. Plus, I got to see Hamilton, which was outstanding!

What advice can you offer to future exchange visitors coming to the United States? 

The advice I would give is to dive fully into all opportunities available to you. Americans are very friendly people, and it’s easy to make friends, which I would highly encourage.

What does cultural exchange mean to you?

Cultural exchange means stepping out of your comfort zone and embracing fully the new culture that you are a part of. It means taking risks and trying new things.

To read more from Enobong, check out her blog, connect with her on Twitter, or follow her on Instagram!