Art – International Arts & Artists

Can you name five women artists?

August 22, 2019March 8, 2019 by Jennifer Schrock

Can you name #5WomenArtists? We can! We’re joining the National Museum of Women in the Arts and other arts organizations around the world to celebrate women artists and promote gender equality in the arts.

This Women’s History Month, IA&A is taking the challenge and sharing the stories of several spectacular women artists who have participated in our Exchange Visitor Program. We are so proud to have such brilliant, creative, and inspiring women in our midst that it was so tough to choose only five! 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.

Mia Riley

Hailing from Canada, Mia Riley is an emerging ceramic artist who finds inspiration while adventuring in nature. A graduate of the Alberta College of Art and Design, she has also completed residencies at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, researching wood kiln building, alternative making processes, and the natural disasters that have affected her home province in the last decade.

She recently finished an eight-month long internship with Harvard University’s Ceramics Program as part of IA&A’s Exchange Visitor Program. During her program, she had the opportunity to explore her own art practice and gain hands-on experience running studio operations.

As Mia says, ceramics allow her to depict abstractly her experiences into tangible three-dimensional objects, emphasizing the transience of landscape and subtly referencing our place within the natural system. Her favorite part of interning in Boston was being able to meet new artists and share experiences. “Because the Harvard studio is home to a large number of artists, professionals, and students at many stages of their careers, I had the chance to meet and exchange ideas on many levels,” she told us. “It has inspired me to see how ceramic art and pottery can exist in many different aspects in one’s life and career.”

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!

Romina Schulz Rosas

Romina Schulz Rosas is a Peruvian feminist textile artist and graduate with a painting specialty from the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru. Her work focuses on exposing problems Peruvian women face under current socio-cultural taboos and constructs. More specifically, how female bodies have become territory and space under the colonizing gaze of a patriarchal, oblivious androcentric context which treats them as disposable.

Part of her effort to expose this phenomena is in the creation of her project, Que rico menstruo, where she gives embroidery workshops to begin to dismantle the stigma surrounding menstruation. As part of the project, Romina prompts interventions on pieces of clothing, focusing on the groin area, with materials of various shades of red, simulating a menstruation blood stain.

Romina is currently in the Artists in Residence (AIR) program at the Textile Arts Center in Brooklyn, NY, through IA&A’s Exchange Visitor Program. The AIR program equips emerging artists and designers with resources and skills to better articulate their practices and contribute to their communities. It combines studio access with a rigorous interdisciplinary curriculum, regular critical dialogue, and mentorship.

You can find out more about Romina’s work by following her on Instagram!

Stevennina Drassinower

Stevennina Drassinower is an extraordinary sculptor currently interning at Oxman Studios in Washington, DC. She describes her work as relating to sculptural metal, telling us “I make aesthetically interesting things, mostly out of metal. Sculpture is where I found my calling, and metal is where I really found my voice.” Through her exchange experience she learned a tremendous amount about art as a business, refining design and idea generation, as well as technical metalworking skills.

“There is not a single part of me as an artist that has not been touched and made better by my experience at Oxman Studios. I’ve learned sustainable, practical strategies for handling the balancing act between being an emotionally sincere artist, and a regular person with practical needs, and life outside work. At the same time, I’ve been learning to create art that has wildly surpassed my own expectations of what I was capable of.”

“Before coming here, I had a vague dream to make a career selling my art, but had no real idea how to make it happen. In my time at Oxman Studios I’ve experienced the daily minutiae of studio life, and exhilaration of truly inspired creation. When all this is over, and I fly back to Canada, I'll leave knowing that through this experience, my artistic visions have been made more grand, and my toolbox more full.”

You can find out more about Stevennina’s work by following her on Instagram!

Anyuta Gusakova

Anyuta Gusakova is a classically trained contemporary artist from Canada who works in multimedia sculpture and painting. She's a self-proclaimed “sculptor of dreams”, telling us:

“I am a dreamer, I have all sorts: happy dreams and dark dreams. Dreams for children and dreams for adults, 2D dreams and 3D dreams. They come to me when I sleep or day-dream. My job is to materialize them in acrylic or watercolor, clay or stone, metal or paper whichever form they want to take. I help the dreams to escape from their ethereal kingdom and fill our world with their mysterious, irrational beauty.”

Anyuta combines principles of classical art with craft applications, folk, and mythical motifs through her signature brand slip-cast porcelain functional and decorative objects. Her sculptures are on public display at the Vancouver International Airport and Vancouver Playhouse. Additionally, she recently won a commission to design and create a porcelain statuette for the new national Canadian Legend Award and she has been a finalist in several major international ceramic competitions in the United States, Canada, and France.

Anuyta is currently completing a residency program with Pottery Northwest in Seattle, WA, through IA&A’s Exchange Visitor Program. During her residency, she is growing as a ceramic artist, engaging in the community, and further developing her body of work.

To learn more about Anyuta, visit her website or follow her on Instagram!

Liene Bosquê

Liene Bosquê is an accomplished Brazilian visual artist and art educator currently based in New York and Miami. She also knows #WhyHostingMatters! Last year, she hosted exchange visitor Romain for a three-month internship with her studio.

Liene’s work is inspired by the relationship between people and place. She evokes memory, context, and history in the traces, shadows, impressions, imprints, and reflections within her multidisciplinary installations, objects, and site-specifics. She seeks to “investigate the passage of time, which changes place and how we look at place, through the presence and absence of who inhabit these places.” On top of her own art, Liene currently teaches sculpting workshops for immigrants in the New New Yorkers Program at the Queens Museum.

Her work has been exhibited extensively across the United States and internationally, including exhibitions at MoMA PS1 (2016), William Holman Gallery in New York (2015), the Museum of Contemporary Photography in Chicago (2013), Carpe Diem in Lisbon, Portugal (2010), and Museu de Arte de Ribeirao Preto in Ribeirao Preto, Brazil (2007), to name a few. Her work has also been displayed at nonprofit galleries and public spaces worldwide.

To learn more about Liene, visit her website or follow her on Instagram!

Supporting Artists and Exploring Museums in NYC

August 22, 2019October 30, 2018 by CEP Intern

Many of us know why exchanges matter! Exchange programs give visitors from around the world the chance to experience America’s diverse culture, to learn more about the arts in America, and to develop the skills they need to thrive in their professional careers.

We recently caught up with Heliis, a #J1Alum from Estonia who learn more about her internship at the International Studio & Curatorial Program (ISCP) in New York, NY. ISCP is an incredible organization that supports the creative development of artists and curators, and promotes exchange through residencies and public programs. The organization is New York’s most comprehensive international visual arts residency program, with over 1350 artists and curators from over 80 countries having undertaken residencies at ISCP.

During her internship with ISCP, Heliis had the opportunity to learn many new skills, particularly in communications and fundraising, by participating in many different projects throughout her exchange program. Keep reading to learn more about her fascinating experience in New York!

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

Thanks to this exchange experience I feel much more confident in myself and my skills. Working in a foreign office was a very enlightening experience, especially in giving me the entry-level skills I needed to get my career started. Since most of the jobs in the job market require at least some sort of professional experience, I think a full year-long internship was a good choice to obtain knowledge and also build my network. During the internship, I connected with so many different aspects of working in a nonprofit organization. I was trusted with important responsibilities which gave me more confidence in myself. This exchange year has definitely made me open up more about my career choices and what I would like to focus on in the future.

What was your favorite cultural activity to do in New York?

New York is such a huge city, that you can get lost in the activities that you can take part in there. However, I would say that I definitely enjoyed the rich museum scene, especially the art museums. Since I very much enjoy interactive experiences, I developed a few favorite museums such as the Whitney Museum, the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum, and the Museum of the City of New York, which I visited numerous times during my exchange.

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

I would definitely say be very open-minded, be open to conversations, and be willing to share your experience. Americans are very open themselves and like to get to know you, what your interests are, and what your dreams are. At first, it might feel overwhelming because the culture is so diverse, but soon you will encounter so many different ideas, thoughts, experiences, and really meet people from all areas of life, which makes you feel part of it with your own experience.

The Art of an Enlightening Exchange

August 22, 2019August 29, 2018 by Jennifer Schrock

In the historic Neve Tzedek quarter of Tel Aviv, Anat Meidan has quite literally brought history home. A curator, art collector, and researcher, Anat and her husband turned their home into a private museum that displays the Art Nouveau and Art Deco art that they have spent the past thirty years collecting and restoring.

Among the many works in the collection is a portrait of Misia Natanson Sert, painted in 1905 by Charles Picart Le Doux, a student of Renoir. Anat has always been fascinated with the portrait and wanted to learn more about Misia and her life. She decided to travel to the Frick Collection in New York to pursue in-depth research on the Natanson family’s collection and Misia’s role as an art collector. The Frick Art Reference Library, which serves as one of the world’s most complete resources for the study of Western art, seemed like the perfect resource for learning more about Misia.

Anat was awarded a fellowship from the Center for the History of Collecting, established at the Frick Art Reference Library in 2007 to encourage and support the study of the formation of collections of fine and decorative arts. Each year, the Center offers short- and long-term fellowships that provide support to pre-doctoral and post-doctoral researchers, as well as senior scholars. International Arts & Artists is proud to support the Frick Collection and provide J-1 visa sponsorship for international researchers like Anat participating Center’s fellowship program. The wealth of material at the Frick Art Reference Library allowed Anat to research the history and importance of Misia, as well as the impressive private collection Misia and her husband amassed.

We recently caught up with Anat to hear more about her research, her time at the Frick Collection, and what she uncovered about Misia.

What impact has your exchange experience at the Frick Collection had on your life and your research on the Natanson’s collection?

It was a privilege to have been given the opportunity to work at the Frick alongside such committed and dedicated colleagues, who were ready to share with me their professional knowledge and expertise. I feel enriched by the experience and will cherish these days for the rest of my life. The ten weeks I spent at the Frick Collection Library filled me with immense pride and satisfaction at what I was able to achieve. Although I could not complete my research in the time I had at my disposal, I managed to do better than I had expected at the outset and I would very much like to return to the Frick to continue my work.

The initial impetus of my research at the Frick Collection came from a painting from my private collection. It is a portrait of Misia Natanson Sert (1872-1950) painted by Picart Le Doux (1905), and from the moment I acquired the painting I have been intrigued by Misia and her colorful life in Paris. The title of my research is: “Misia Natanson Sert – The Mystery and Mastery of an Art Collector.” Prior to embarking upon my research at the Frick, I already had an extensive knowledge about the fascinating life of Misia who was the muse for painters, writers, and composers who were attracted to her and sought out her close, intimate attention, and company. I also knew about the private collection of paintings she and her husband Thadée Natanson (1868-1951) had built up during twelve years of their marriage and which had a great influence on the artistic scene of late 19^thcentury Paris. Their collection, which had to be sold due to financial difficulties, consisted of 65 paintings and was auctioned at Hotel Drouot in Paris on June 13, 1908. Until I actually held the sale catalogue from the 1908 auction which is in the Frick Collection Library, I had no knowledge of all the paintings the Natansons had in their collection. This information was of great importance to me and had a significant impact upon my research. After ten weeks at the Frick Collection Library I had managed to locate, identify, or trace 53 of the paintings, which are either in the possession of major museums and art collections throughout the world (11 are in the United States), private collections, or whose current whereabouts are unknown. This is an important achievement, being one of the main objectives of my research. My exchange experience at the Frick Collection has had a strong, important impact on my life as a researcher and collector. It has encouraged me to pursue different directions: to write a book, to tell the story of the Natanson’s collection, and/or propose an idea for an exhibition.

What is your favorite memory from your exchange program?

My favorite memory from my exchange program is the exciting moment in which I discovered that one of the paintings that had belonged to the Natansons (Lot no. 21 by Cezanne) was stolen from a museum in Oxford on New Year’s Eve in the year 2000, in a daring robbery. It has not been seen since and as far as I can tell this was “breaking news.”

What was your favorite cultural activity to do in New York?

I enjoyed visiting the museums, and going to dance performances and concerts. I was even photographed next to paintings of Misia herself or next to those from her collection.

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

Enjoy it to the utmost. One should know how to combine research program with what city can offer to the visitor.

What does cultural exchange mean to you?

Even though this is not the first time I’ve been to New York, the long period of stay enabled me to get know the city in depth, to do things when it was convenient for me, with no pressure of time. I had the feeling that New York became friendlier to me, or that I became friendlier towards the city.

Host Spotlight: Dallas Museum of Art

August 22, 2019January 30, 2015 by CEP Intern

Q: What are some of your favorite things about hosting exchange visitors?

For over forty years, the McDermott Internship Program at the Dallas Museum of Art has laid the foundation for many burgeoning professionals to pursue careers in museums and the arts. We encourage each intern class to interact both professionally and socially, to provide a complete and well-rounded internship experience. With their diverse backgrounds and unique experiences, international interns bring a global perspective that the group would be lacking otherwise. We appreciate being able to expose intern classes as well as Museum staff to museum practices from around the world as shared through our international exchange visitors.

Q: What are some of the interesting work-related tasks that Dallas Museum of Art interns get to do?

Not only do McDermott Interns have direct interaction with their respective supervisors and departments, but they are also able meet and work with staff across all departments of the Museum and work on projects both big and small. Some tasks completed by interns this year include creating an interpretive brochure for the special exhibition Bouquets: French Still-Life Painting from Chardin to Matisse, translating condition reports for incoming works of art from German into English, and helping to lead various education programs for visitors ranging from babies to adults.

Q: What are some of the cultural activities that Dallas Museum of Art interns get to take part in?

The Museum arranges cultural opportunities for each McDermott Internship class including visits to area museums, attendance to performances at various Dallas Arts District performing art venues, and tours of local private art collections, among other activities. Interns are also able to apply for $500 toward qualified professional development, which many have used to present papers and attend conferences at cities throughout the United States.

Q: What is the value to the Dallas Museum of Art hosting international exchange visitors?

As mentioned above, it is a wonderful opportunity for interns as well as for the DMA staff who work with them to gain diverse global perspectives on museums and the art world.

Q: What should people do if there are interested in applying to the Dallas Museum of Art internship program?

The Dallas Museum of Art offers nine paid internship positions in the Education and Curatorial Divisions, open to individuals with undergraduate or graduate degrees who are interested in exploring museum careers. Applications are available online at DMA.org/Internships each January, with interviews happening throughout the spring, for the upcoming fall internship class.