#ExpectExchange – 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 Update: Hyppolite Speaks at One Young World

August 22, 2019October 7, 2017 by CEP Intern

“At a very young age, my eyes have seen what no child should see; my ears have heard what no child should hear. That’s why I work with young people to halt the intergenerational transmission of hate for a much more peaceful future.”

#J1Alum Hyppolite Ntigurirwa recently delivered a powerful address at the One Young World summit in Bogotá. As part of the “Peace and Reconciliation” plenary session, Hyppolite shared with the audience how he is spreading his message of peace, using theater as a tool for healing, reconciliation, and peacebuilding in post-conflict communities both in Rwanda and abroad.

In 2016, Hyppolite participated in IA&A’s J-1 Exchange Visitor Program as the first international young leader to be selected for Arts Connect International’s Artist-in-Residence program. During his program, Hyppolite connected with other artists and social activists, acquired key arts management skills, and further developed his artistic body of work. He continues that work today through his Be the Peace Initiative.

Watch his speech below and read more about his exchange experience here.

How Exchanges are Bringing Sustainable Design to Life

August 22, 2019April 22, 2017 by CEP Intern

While you might not have heard of Senator Gaylord Nelson, chances are you’re familiar with his legacy. Almost fifty years ago, Senator Nelson coordinated the first nationwide day focused on the environment, now known as Earth Day. In the years that followed that first Earth Day, several important pieces of environmental protection legislation were passed, cementing Senator Nelson’s legacy and spurring a new focus on environmental issues. Today, people in over 150 countries worldwide gather to celebrate Earth Day, raising awareness of critical issues like climate change and sharing ideas on how to be better stewards of our planet.

But did you know that exchange programs are also helping to make our environment a better place? Several of our J-1 exchange visitors have participated in programs that focused on sustainable art and architecture! In honor of Earth Day, we caught up with Caterina and Francesco, two exchange visitors who are changing the way we think about design and the environment.

While interning with EcoLogic Design Lab this past spring, J-1 intern Caterina has learned about sustainable architecture, green building standards, and environmentally-friendly ethics. Throughout her program with EcoLogic, Caterina has worked on remodeling residential construction projects in the Monterey Bay area. In addition, Caterina got to assist with the design process of building a sustainable mini-house, aptly named the MicroPod! After her J-1 program ends, Caterina hopes “to raise awareness and urgency to respect nature” when she returns to Italy.

In Philadelphia, J-1 intern Francesco spent six months with TerraCycle, a company that is “Eliminating the Idea of Waste®” by reusing, upcycling, and recycling waste instead of incinerating it or sending it to a landfill. TerraCycle offers free recycling programs that collect waste from consumers and either recycles it or turns it into a brand new product. Francesco learned all about using upcycled materials to both create new products and transform interior spaces. These final products are environmentally-friendly and drastically cut back on the amount of waste that ends up in landfills.

Everyone is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day

August 22, 2019March 17, 2017 by CEP Intern

No matter where you are on March 17^th, chances are high that you’re close to one of the many St. Patrick’s Day celebrations! Honoring the patron saint of Ireland, St. Patrick’s Day is observed in cities across the U.S. and around the world. The holiday has come to mean different things for different groups of people, whether it’s celebrating Irish heritage and identity, welcoming the beginning of the spring season, or just as an excuse to wear green. While new St. Patrick’s Day celebrations are happening every year, the traditions, myths, and meanings behind the holiday go back centuries.

You may associate the holiday with shamrocks and Guinness, but that wasn’t always the case. Historically, St. Patrick’s Day honored Maewyn Succat, an English priest from the fourth century who later became Saint Patrick. The Catholic Church established a feast day for Saint Patrick as a way to honor him as one of the patron saints of Ireland. This day is still observed centuries later around the world, with the addition of parades and parties celebrating the Irish spirit!

The holiday may have started as a way to honor Saint Patrick, but we have Irish-Americans to thank for starting some of the traditions we tend to associate with March 17^th. The first official parade in honor of St. Patrick’s Day took place in eighteenth century New York, during the American Revolutionary War. At the time, Irish immigrants serving in the British Colonial Army took to the streets of New York to observe St. Patrick’s Day, thus establishing what is now America’s longest-running parade. Today, New York remains the most popular place for St. Patrick’s Day gatherings in the United States!

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.