AICA podcast with Lisbeth Rebollo Gonçalves

The AICA Podcast, created and hosted by Mihaela Ion, is back with its fifth episode, featuring Lisbeth Rebollo Gonçalves the Honorary President of AICA International and former President of AICA International.

The first part of the discussion focuses on the two mandates Lisbeth served as International President of AICA. During her tenure, she worked to enhance global collaboration among member organizations and underscored the importance of art as a critical element of cultural identity and dialogue. Her efforts included prioritizing cross-border partnerships, sharing best practices, and advocating for the recognition of artists and cultural practitioners as essential contributors to societal development.

In this episode, Lisbeth also delves into the role of art mediators in shaping our understanding of art criticism, highlighting how their insights can elevate the audience's experience during curated events. Drawing from her own curatorial experiences, she demonstrates how effective art mediation bridges the gap between artists and viewers, enriching discussions about artworks and fostering deeper appreciation and engagement.

The final part of the podcast centers on the São Paulo Biennial, which took inspiration from the Venice Biennale and aimed to establish Brazil on the international art stage. By emphasizing contemporary art and showcasing both local and international artists, the Biennial has become a key platform for innovation and exchange, reflecting Brazil's socio-political landscape and cultural identity. Lisbeth shares specific historical moments from the São Paulo Biennial, providing unique insights into its evolution and significance.

About the Moderator: Mihaela Ion
Mihaela Ion holds a Ph.D. in History and is a curator, cultural manager, and art researcher based in Bucharest. Since 2021, she has been an AICA member and has served as an International Board Member since 2022, as well as being part of the Digital Strategies Committee. Over the past 17 years, she has presented papers on Communist Art, Cultural Wars, and contemporary artworks at leading conferences across Europe. Mihaela collaborates with several art galleries and museums throughout the continent. Her Ph.D. thesis focuses on the heritage of communist artworks. She has had the opportunity to work as a cultural manager in London with body>data>space and in Paris, Sélestat, Strasbourg, and Nancy during her Courants du Monde grant from the French Ministry of Culture. In 2010, she co-founded Atelierul Magazine, an active international online and offline platform fostering intercultural dialogue between design creators and the public.

About the Speaker: Lisbeth Rebollo Goncalves
Lisbeth Rebollo Goncalves is the Honorary President of AICA International. She holds a master's and PhD at the Faculty of Philosophy, Letters and Human Sciences of the University of São Paulo, Brazil. With a scholarship from the USP-COFECUB program, she conducted research about Art Exhibition’s Scenography in France and Brazil. She is a professor at the Faculty of Communications and Arts at the University of São Paulo, Brazil, teaching undergraduate and graduate courses, supervising master's, doctoral and postdoctoral students. In the graduate field, professor at PROLAM - Latin American Studies Program and at the Aesthetics and Art History Program. She has been an art researcher since 1980 and curator of exhibitions since 1994.  Between 1994 to 1998 and from 2006 to 2010, she was the Director of the Museum of Contemporary Art at the University of São Paulo.

Lisbeth has published numerous books, essays in exhibition catalogues, and articles in newspapers and specialized magazines. She has received awards for her books as well as for her curatorial work. Additionally, she coordinated the Art Criticism Collection published by the Brazilian Association of Art Critics and has served as an editorial advisor and corresponding editor for ArtNexus magazine (ISSN 0122-1744).

Appel à candidatures

Date limite de dépôt : le 3 janvier 2025

L'Institut français, en partenariat avec le ministère de la Culture - Direction générale de la création artistique et les Archives de la critique d'art s'associent pour promouvoir l'activité critique et théorique française portant sur la création artistique des années 1960 à nos jours et sa diffusion à l'international.

Le dispositif « Traverses » a pour objet de soutenir la production, la publication et la diffusion d'un essai critique portant sur une actualité internationale dans le domaine de l'art contemporain.

Il comprend une aide financière d'un montant de 3 500 euros permettant de couvrir les frais du ou de la lauréate pour un voyage et un séjour d'études à l'étranger en vue de produire un essai critique.

Cet essai, écrit en français, fera l'objet d'une publication bilingue (français/anglais) au sommaire du n°65 de « CRITIQUE D'ART » (automne/hiver 2025).

« Traverses » signifie l'originalité de tous ces sentiers qui appartiennent au domaine du sensible et qui relient l'art visuel à l'écrit. Le dispositif propose un chemin de traverse pour arriver plus vite depuis la création à la publication et à la diffusion de l'écriture critique.

Conditions d’éligibilité

Afin de soutenir la production intellectuelle innovante dans le domaine de la critique d’art, ce dispositif de soutien est proposé à de jeunes auteur·ice·s, français·es ou vivant en France depuis au moins cinq ans, arrivé·es à un stade de première reconnaissance professionnelle, justifié par des publications conséquentes et la tenue de conférences.

Evaluation des candidatures

Un jury de professionnel·le·s du monde de l’art désigné à cette fin évaluera les candidat·e·s sur leur curriculum vitaeet sur leur projet, son originalité et sa pertinence. Le projet d’article devra situer l’approche critique retenue par l’auteur·ice et prendre appui sur l’actualité de la pensée critique et des débats théoriques. Il prendra nécessairement comme point d’ancrage une manifestation majeure de la scène artistique contemporaine à l’étranger (exposition, biennale, etc.). En alliant ces deux axes, le ou la candidate développera une réflexion soutenue sur le sujet choisi.

Comment candidater ?

Constitution du dossier (à rassembler un un seul fichier pdf) :

• Curriculum vitae

• Projet détaillé (4 000 signes) précisant le type de manifestation internationale qui sera analysée, le cadre d’analyse théorique prévu et l’articulation critique proposée

• Budget prévisionnel (frais de voyage et de séjour à hauteur de l'aide financière de 3 500 euros)

Le dossier est à envoyer en un seul fichier pdf à : aca-direction@univ-rennes2.fr

Date limite de dépôt des candidatures :  le 3 janvier 2025

Annonce des résultats : le 5 février 2025

Remise de l’essai à la revue CRITIQUE D’ART au plus tard le 5 septembre 2025

L’essai ne devra pas excéder 30 000 signes et fera l’objet d’une rémunération complémentaire en droits d’auteur.

Autres infos : ici

AICA podcast with Jean Bundy

The AICA Podcast, created and hosted by Mihaela Ion, returns with its fourth episode, featuring Jean Bundy, Editor of AICA/E-MAG, Chair of AICA’s ‘Incentive Prize for Young Art Critics,’ and an AICA Vice President.

In this episode, Jean Bundy explores the AICA E-MAG project, discussing its origins, the vision behind it, and its significance in contemporary art communication. She provides insights into the publication process, including design, content curation, and engaging with the art community.

The episode also highlights AICA’s ‘Incentive Prize for Young Art Critics,’ with Jean sharing fresh and insightful updates. This initiative encourages young and emerging art critics to address underrepresented topics and regions in the arts. By fostering innovative critical perspectives and facilitating the global exchange of contemporary ideas and writing, the prize enriches art discourse and offers a platform for new voices. It not only honors exceptional talent but also fosters dialogue within the art community, increasing the visibility of young critics on an international scale.

About the Moderator: Mihaela Ion
Mihaela Ion holds a Ph.D. in History and is a curator, cultural manager, and art researcher based in Bucharest. Since 2021, she has been an AICA member and has served as an International Board Member since 2022, as well as being part of the Digital Strategies Committee. Over the past 17 years, she has presented papers on Communist Art, Cultural Wars, and contemporary artworks at leading conferences across Europe. Mihaela collaborates with several art galleries and museums throughout the continent. Her Ph.D. thesis focuses on the heritage of communist artworks. She has had the opportunity to work as a cultural manager in London with body>data>space and in Paris, Sélestat, Strasbourg, and Nancy during her Courants du Monde grant from the French Ministry of Culture. In 2010, she co-founded Atelierul Magazine, an active international online and offline platform fostering intercultural dialogue between design creators and the public.

About the Speaker: Jean Bundy
Dr. Jean Bundy is Editor of AICA E-MAG, Chair of AICA’s ‘Incentive Prize for Young Art Critics’ and an AICA-VP. She has a BFA from the University of Alaska, MFA from the University of Chicago, MFAW from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and a PhD from the Institute of Doctoral Studies in the Visual Arts.  Bundy has reported on conferences in Alaska and Scandinavia, emphasizing Alaska Natives and Sámi aesthetics. She wrote bi-weekly for Anchorage Press (ceased 12/22). The Society for Professional Journalism (Northwest) awarded her for: December in California: Take Mittens when Searching for Art (2013). Highlighting Climate Change and Socio-Political, Bundy presented papers at College Art Association, and AICA events: Chile/Argentina, S. Korea, Poland, Taiwan and Turkey. Bundy reviews books for Princeton University Press. The Rabkin Foundation requested her help in nominating a 2024 US art critic. Also, an acrylic painter, Bundy’s solo exhibition (Pictor Gallery, NYC March 2023) was: Painting out of Writing--Just A Little Bit Quirky. Painting: Paradox of Productivity in the Age of Climate Change appeared in the Alaska Biennial (October 2020-March 2021). Paintings became props in Off-Broadway’s Puffs (2016-2020). Bundy sleuths overlooked narratives, employing rhythms and color with brushes or verbiage.

Remembering Marja-Terttu Kivirinta

All the artists featured in the book are women. That has been my starting point, even though I think that being female is not a homogenous trait, and I don't see being female as such as a unifying factor for these artists. Each has their own perspective in their work. Still, the thread running through the book is my view that women are finally, after countless years dominated by male artists, now part of the mainstream of Finnish art.

Marja-Terttu Kivirinta: Yhdeksän taiteilijaa, 2007

Critic and art historian Marja-Terttu Kivirinta died on 14 November 2024 after a long illness. As a highly influential person in the Finnish field of art, she left behind an irreplaceable empty space, but also a huge body of work on both Finnish and foreign art. I am writing this obituary as a close friend and a long-time colleague of Marja-Terttu. We worked together in the cultural department of Helsingin Sanomat from 1985-90. Together with Marja-Terttu and Ilppo Pohjola we also produced a book that traced the changes in the Finnish art scene in the 1980s, Koko hajanainen kuva (WSOY, 1991), and together with Marja-Terttu we curated the exhibition of male artists (Un)natural (2009) at Kiasma, which was accompanied by an exhibition book. Our friendship lasted until the end. Our "salon" in recent years also included artists Hannele Rantala and Kari Soinio.

Marja-Terttu started her 27-year career as a cultural journalist at Helsingin Sanomat in 1981. She had already worked as a freelance critic since 1976 and continued to assist Helsingin Sanomat even after her retirement. Her career coincided with decades of many changes and upheavals in the Finnish art scene. The 1980s marked a strong a move into the post-modernist era, an increase in the importance of painting, but also the emergence of new art forms – installations, performance art, video and photography – alongside the traditional painting-sculpture-graphics triad. Marja-Terttu was following, and as a writer was also building on, these phenomena, both domestic and international.

As the recession of the 1990s receded, the gender balance in the field of art continued a process of change that had already begun in the previous decade. As Marja-Terttu noted in her bookNine Artists, quoted above, after countless ‘man-years’, decades and centuries, women’s art was finally being given space in the mainstream. Marja-Terttu was one of the major contributors to this space, and she herself was not spared male criticism. However, her position in the field of Finnish art criticism was unquestionable, and in 2000 she was awarded the E.J. Vehmas Prize for her merits as a critic. She was an honorary member of SARV, a board member and one of the vice-presidents of the International Critics' Association AICA.

The artist goes their own way. So does the art critic. Each of them has their own language. My language is written Finnish. My attitude to art and history is critical.

Marja-Terttu Kivirinta: "The absurdities of life in art that brings us close to people", 2022

Marja-Terttu was a writer. She was a critic at heart, but she was also a vigilant reporter of art phenomena, closely following contemporary art in Finland and abroad. She reported on the many Venice Biennales and Kassel Documentas, Stockholm and Paris exhibitions for her Finnish readers. Paris was a second hometown for the Francophile Marja-Terttu. She spent time there whenever possible and practised her French diligently for decades.

Marja-Terttu was a critic who listened to the artists and was willing to engage in dialogue with them. She also wrote for many artists’ books and exhibition catalogues, examples include Catarina Ryöppy, Mari Rantanen and Marja Kolu. In the 2000s, a return to the field of research became very important for Marja-Terttu. In her 2014 doctoral thesis "Fighting foreign influences: Helene Schjerfbeck and Juho Rissanen: gender, class and the construction of Finnish art in the 1910s and 20s", she took a close look at both the art history of the early 20th century and current research debates. She was on the editorial board of the book series Pinx, maalaustaide Suomessa (2001-03) and was also involved in the ongoing extensive book project on Finnish art history FiKon - Nya perspektiv på Finlands konsthistoria (New perspectives on Finnish art history), which is being conducted from Åbo Akademi. His last book, Kriitikon katse (2023), brought together essays, exhibition reviews and research articles.

Marja-Terttu fought her illness by following as much culture as possible. Her interest was not limited to the visual arts, but she was also often seen at concerts and the theatre. She also tirelessly reported everything she saw and heard on social media. Experiencing art brought her hope to the end. To illustrate this, I give her the last words she wrote about Maaria Wirkkala's art in her book Yhdeksän taiteilijaa (Nine Artists):

The wall first appears sombre and absolute, but after standing in front of it for a while, it becomes infinite, like space. From the pitch-black darkness of the wall, a ladder made of glass rises from the floor (Yhdeksän taiteilijaa, 2007).

My warmest condolences to Marja-Tertu's daughter Karoliina and grandson Nyyti.
Leena-Maija Rossi

Sources:
Kivirinta, Marja-Terttu (2007) Yhdeksän taiteilijaa, WSOY.
Kivirinta, Marja-Terttu (2022) "The absurdities of life in art that brings you close to people." In Marja Kolu: Rethinking Material, 89-94.
Kivirinta, Marja-Terttu (2023) The Eye of the Critic. The many faces of melancholy. Parvs.

Marja-Terttu Kivirinta was an active member of the International Association of Art Critics (AICA). She was member of the Board and served as Vice President (2022-2024) and chair of the Electoral & Membership Committee (2017-2023).

BOARD MEMBERS ELECTIONS 2024

CANDIDATES PRESENTATIONS

VICE-PRESIDENTS

ANA LÚCIA BECK

ESRA YILDIZ

KAREN VON VEH

CHAIRS OF COMMITTEES

LIN CHI-MING

JEAN BUNDY

RICHARD GREGOR

INTERNATIONAL BOARD MEMBERS

BERAL MADRA

Bernhard Schulz

NURI EVRIM ALTUĞ

MATHILDE ROMAN

MIHAELA ION

ROBERT-JAN MULLER

SAMUEL HERNÁNDEZ DOMINICIS

SANDRA HITNER

FAYE TZANETOULAKOU

NATALI RAJCHINOVSKA-PAVLESKA

Application documents for each candidate are available in the Member Access area under the 'Election Documents' section.

Three Seas Art Festival 2025

We are pleased to announce the start of the Three Seas Art Festival in Kraków, beginning today, November 21, in partnership with AICA. The first phase of the festival includes a short residency for curators, which will run until Sunday, with the exhibition openings scheduled for May.

This initiative emerged from the 55th AICA International Congress, held last year in Kraków, in collaboration with the Three Seas Art Foundation, KEN University, the City of Kraków, and the Jagiellonian University. The Congress sparked the creation of a dynamic working group, serving as a model of cross-border cooperation and mutual understanding across political, geographical, ethnic, economic, and religious lines. At AICA International, we are dedicated to supporting projects like this, which align with our mission to foster professional relationships and artistic exchange across all boundaries.

Among the participants in this project are: Kata Balazs-Miklos (AICA Hungary), Elli Leventaki (AICA Hellas), Kristian Handberg (AICA Denmark), Richard Gregor (AICA Slovakia), Melike Bayik (AICA Turkey), and Vera Mlechevska (AICA Bulgaria).

AICA podcast with Alfredo Cramerotti

The AICA Podcast, created and hosted by Mihaela Ion, returns with its third episode, featuring Alfredo Cramerotti, a cultural entrepreneur working at the intersection of contemporary art, media, and technology, as well as the chair of AICA’s Digital Strategies Committee.

This episode explores AICA's initiatives and the pivotal role of the Digital Strategies Committee in enhancing the visibility of these projects. It highlights their efforts to strengthen engagement and outreach within the digital sphere. Additionally, the discussion delves into a transformative shift in the roles of art criticism and curatorial practices, focusing on their growing emphasis on community engagement. This evolution fosters deeper connections between artists, audiences, and cultural narratives, encouraging more inclusive dialogues and diverse perspectives that ultimately enrich the art ecosystem.

Alfredo Cramerotti's curatorial and critical work emphasizes meaningful audience engagement with contemporary art by challenging established narratives and fostering critical dialogue. His projects explore the intersection of art and new media, underscoring the importance of context and perception in interpreting artistic expressions. The episode also spotlights Cramerotti’s latest curatorial and collaborative projects, offering listeners a closer look at his innovative approaches to contemporary art.

About the Moderator: Mihaela Ion
Mihaela Ion holds a Ph.D. in History and is a curator, cultural manager, and art researcher based in Bucharest. Since 2021, she has been an AICA member and has served as an International Board Member since 2022, as well as being part of the Digital Strategies Committee. Over the past 17 years, she has presented papers on Communist Art, Cultural Wars, and contemporary artworks at leading conferences across Europe. Mihaela collaborates with several art galleries and museums throughout the continent. Her Ph.D. thesis focuses on the heritage of communist artworks. She has had the opportunity to work as a cultural manager in London with body>data>space and in Paris, Sélestat, Strasbourg, and Nancy during her Courants du Monde grant from the French Ministry of Culture. In 2010, she co-founded Atelierul Magazine, an active international online and offline platform fostering intercultural dialogue between design creators and the public.

About the Speaker: Alfredo Cramerotti
A cultural entrepreneur working at the intersection of contemporary art, media and technology, Alfredo Cramerotti is Director of mm:museum [Media Majlis] at Northwestern Qatar. He is President of IKT–International Association Curators of Contemporary Art, Chair of the Digital Strategies Committee of AICA–International Association of Art Critics, and Advisor to the KSA Visual Art Commission, UK Government Art Collection, British Council Visual Arts Acquisition Committee, and the Italian Ministry of Culture.  

His main curatorial and advisory projects includes Noor Riyadh, Art Dubai Digital, Lumen Prize and the Maxxi-Bvlgari prize for digital arts (all 2024), four national & collateral pavilions at the Venice Biennale (Wales 2013; Maldives 2013; Mauritius 2015; Pera Fauna Flora–Malaysia 2022); Ideal-Types (Amsterdam 2018, Venice 2019); Sean Scully at the Hong Kong Arts Centre (2018), Shezad Dawood at ISMAR/Querini Stampalia Venice (2017); EXPO VIDEO Chicago (2015); and the biennials Sequences VII Reykjavik, Iceland (2015) and Manifesta 8 Region of Murcia, Spain (2010). He co-directs with Auronda Scalera Multiplicity Art in Digital, a curatorial and publishing initiative fostering the career of artists of underrepresented groups. Alfredo has written extensively on contemporary art and media theory with over 200 texts published on topics such as the intersection of art and technology and the impact of globalization on the art world. He is Editor-in-Chief of the Critical Photography book series by Intellect Books, and the author of five books: The Transparent Layer (forth. 2024), Curating the Image: Notebook for a Visual Journey (2020); Forewords: Hyperimages and Hyperimaging (2018); Unmapping the City: Perspectives of Flatness (2010); and Aesthetic Journalism: How to Inform without Informing (2009).

LABOUR CONDITIONS IN THE ARTS

This survey was developed by Elli Leventaki, Mary Mikaelyan, and Omar Mirza on behalf of AICA International, intending to map the labour conditions of its members worldwide and understand the diverse spectrum of jobs they do.

This project was initiated during the 55th AICA Congress in Kraków, Poland (2023) as part of the AICA Academy program, organized by Mathilde Roman with the support of AICA Poland, and implemented with the guidance of Sonia Recasens.

The survey was conducted anonymously from March to April 2024, through a Google Form of 16 questions that was shared by AICA International and the national sections, receiving 434 responses from members all around the world.

Through the collected answers, a broad spectrum of paid employment among participants was revealed, as well as a high level of commitment to the art field, regardless of the monetary reward.

Despite the diverse range of realities for AICA members, the outcome of the survey reflects their resilience, in defiance of the precarious nature of art-related professions, and suggests an overall consensus towards the necessity for recognition of their work, through better and more stable wages.

You can read the findings of the survey here.

AICA WEBINAR

Referentes de la critica de arte en la península ibérica: mujeres en la crítica

Jueves, 21 de noviembre 2024
18 h. Portugal / 19 h. España

Regístrense hoy mismo al correo: aicainternational.webinar@gmail.com

Descargar folleto del seminario web.

RESULTS OF AICA AWARDS: INCENTIVE PRIZE FOR YOUNG ART CRITICS 2024

We are pleased to announce the winners of the 2024 AICA Incentive Prize for Young Art Critics, RECOGNISING outstanding essays by emerging voices in art criticism:

1st Prize

Linnéa Bake (German-Swedish)

Essay: The photo that remembered how to forget

2nd Prize

Olga Emilia Casiva (Argentina, based in Amsterdam)

Essay: Like a flash of brilliance

3rd Prize

Jessica Simmons-Reid (USA)

Essay: Embraced by an Amniotic Earth: Delcy Morelos at Dia Chelsea

Warm congratulations to the winners for their exceptional essays! Thank you to the jury and awards committee members for their expertise and insight: Adriana Almada (Paraguay), Ana Lucia Beck (Brazil), Jean Bundy (USA) (Chair), Rui G. Cepeda (UK), Niilofur Farrukh (Pakistan), Luciane Garcez (Brazil), Sandra Hitner (Brazil), Małgorzata Kaźmierczak (Poland, AICA President and Committee Advisor), Hon. Lisbeth Rebollo (Brazil), Allison Thompson (S. Caribbean), and Esra Yildiz (Turkey).

AICA Distinguished Prize 2024

This year, we are proud to honour Professor Ileana Pintilie with the prestigious AICA Distinguished Prize.

Professor Pintilie has made an indelible impact as both an art critic and curator, with her work shedding light on the nuances of art in both Romania and abroad.

Her prolific contributions, from her groundbreaking book “Actionism in Romania During the Communist Era” to her profound insights on Central European paradigms in her “Performance Art in the Second Public Sphere. Event-based Art in Late Socialist Europe” demonstrate her dedication to exploring art's intersection with history, culture, and political contexts. Her publications and curatorial projects have consistently provided new lenses through which we understand the power of art in shaping society.

Professor Pintilie has curated numerous exhibitions and performance art events, from the Zone Performance Festival in Timisoara, the monumental “Body and the East” at the Museum of Modern Art in Ljubljana, to her role as a curator for the Romanian section in “Subversive Practices” in Stuttgart, among many others. Her curatorial vision has fostered dialogue across continents and generations, always with a keen eye on the relationship between art, repression, and freedom of expression.

With national accolades for her art criticism and a legacy of publications that span decades, Professor Pintilie has truly shaped the discourse on contemporary art in Romania and beyond.

The Distinguished Prize is a nomination made by the Congress host section, and we are thrilled to recognize Professor Pintilie’s remarkable impact on the field. Please join us in congratulating Professor Ileana Pintilie, the well-deserved recipient of this year’s AICA Distinguished Prize!

In memory of INÉS TREJOS ARAYA

AICA Costa Rica announces the sad loss of Inés Trejos Araya, vice president and co-founder of our national section, who passed away in the Costa Rican capital on October 15 after a long battle with cancer.

Trejos Araya, journalist, art critic and cultural manager, was a pioneer in the development of periodical publications in the artistic-cultural field in Costa Rica and Venezuela. Her contributions in the official sphere of government and outside of it have been decisive for the definition of cultural policies and the promotion of art, highlighting her role as founder and first director of the Costa Rican Art Museum. AICA Costa Rica recognized her as an honorary member of the association that she helped found in 2021 and of which she was vice president. She was an accredited member of AICA International. She was responsible for the Awards and Recognitions committee, the second edition of which took place this year.

At AICA Costa Rica, she made a decisive contribution to opening spaces for discussion and the incorporation of women of merit into the association. She was a tireless fighter for Costa Rican art and culture and freedom of expression. We express our sincere condolences to her family.

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En memoria de INÉS TREJOS ARAYA

AICA Costa Rica comunica la lamentable perdida de Inés Trejos Araya, vicepresidenta y cofundadora de nuestra sección nacional quien falleció en la capital costarricense el 15 de octubre tras una larga batalla contra el cáncer.

Trejos Araya, periodista, crítica de arte y gestora cultural, fue pionera en el desarrollo de publicaciones periódicas en el ámbito artístico-cultural en Costa Rica y Venezuela. Sus contribuciones en el ámbito oficial de gobierno y fuera de este han sido decisivas para la definición de políticas culturales y la promoción del arte destacando en particular su rol como fundadora y primera directora del Museo de Arte Costarricense. AICA Costa Rica le hizo un reconocimiento como miembro honorario de la asociación que contribuyó a fundar en el 2021 y de la que fue vicepresidenta. Era miembro acreditado de AICA Internacional. Fue responsable del comité de Premios y reconocimientos cuya segunda edición tuvo lugar este año.

En AICA Costa Rica contribuyó decisivamente a la apertura de espacios de discusión y la incorporación de mujeres de mérito a la asociación. Fue una infatigable luchadora a favor del arte y la cultura costarricenses y la libertad de expresión.  Expresamos nuestras sinceras condolencias a su familia.

AICA Congress 2024 is Now Open!

We are thrilled to announce the opening of the annual Congress of the International Association of Art Critics (AICA) in Romania!

Between November 4-9, 2024, the Congress will take place in Bucharest and Iași, bringing together leading experts, art critics, and curators from around the world. This year’s event is a unique opportunity to welcome valuable voices in contemporary art to Romania.

The International Association of Art Critics is the most prestigious global organization in the field, founded in 1950 and affiliated to UNESCO, which includes more than 60 countries from all continents. The Romanian office of the organization, AICA-RO, was (re)established in 1993 and currently has 68 members, specialists of great value from all generations with a remarkable professional activity and a high public profile in Romania and abroad.

The theme of this congress, “Becoming Machine, Resisting the Artificial. Art in the Present Tense,” fully reflects the current realities of a world increasingly permeated by technology and has already aroused the enthusiasm of many people active in the cultural field here and abroad. 58 internationally renowned experts from all continents will be giving presentations and participate in debates.

Keynote speakers at the congress are recognized specialists with outstanding publications in the field of contemporary art: Joanna Zylinska (King’s College London), Jean-Paul Fourmentraux (Aix-Marseille University, France) and Paul O’Kane (University of the Arts London). The program includes a round table entitled “Becoming Freedom. Performance Art in the '1990s”, with the participation of art critics Kata Balázs-Miklós, Ileana Pintilie, Jurij Dobriakov, moderator: Małgorzata Kaźmierczak, president of AICA International.

The Congress will be hosted by the National Museum of Contemporary Art in Bucharest and the “George Enescu” National University of Arts in Iași. The last AICA International congress organized in Romania took place in 1967, in Târgu Jiu, coordinated by Dan Haulică. So, after many years, we hope that the attention of the entire cultural world in the field of visual arts - and not only - will turn to Romania in 2024.

The detailed program for the AICA Congress 2024 is available here. For speaker bios and abstracts, please visit this link.

AICA Próxima No. 9 - NEW ISSUE AVAILABLE NOW

The Venezuelan situation is critical.

The impact of political and socioeconomic changes on the promotion, development, and freedom of expression of visual artists and art critics is a crucial topic of attention for AICA Regional Latin America and the Caribbean, which recognizes their interdependence and, consequently, opens its pages with the cover article of AICA Próxima on the Venezuelan context in its ninth quarterly and multilingual edition.

This ninth edition also includes extensive content on the milestones and activities organized during the third quarter of 2024 by members of ten AICA Regional sections and how they have been consistently breaking new ground in the artistic-cultural sphere of their respective areas of influence. Not only can regional production and critical thinking be seen in the contents of this new issue, but also curatorship, commissioning, aesthetic research, and cultural management.

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La situación venezolana es crítica.

El impacto de los cambios políticos y socioeconómicos en el fomento, desarrollo y libertad de expresión de los artistas visuales y la crítica de arte es un tema de atención crucial para AICA Regional América Latina y el Caribe que reconoce su interdependencia y en consecuencia abre sus páginas con el artículo de portada de AICA Próxima sobre el contexto venezolano en su novena edición, trimestral y multilingüe.

Esta novena edición incluye, también, amplios contenidos sobre los hitos y actividades organizadas durante el tercer trimestre del 2024 por los miembros de diez de las secciones de AICA Regional y cómo vienen abriendo brecha consistentemente en la esfera artístico-cultural de sus respectivas zonas influencia. No solo se pueden visibilizar en los contenidos de este nuevo número la producción y el pensamiento crítico regional, sino también la curaduría, el comisariato, la investigación estética, y la gestión cultural.

WEBINAR: Paralysis and disruption in art criticism in Mexico and South America

Between 1960 and 2000, a significant division was established between art criticism articulated in universities and that developed by laymen and professionals in the media and other dissemination channels.

The AICA Latin America and Caribbean Regional has therefore organized three webinars between the national sections that involve a thorough examination of the critical models with which art is thought of in the different regions included, as well as making visible the critics who have been pioneers of metatheories such as the integrationist cultural identity that sought to define a Latin American art and those who later in postmodernism became detractors in favor of a more international art to finally review its role in contemporaneity. In addition, it supposes a look from the critics in the indicated period of modern and contemporary art.

The third and final of the series will take place on Thursday, November 14 at 6 pm (Sao Paulo, Brazil time), 4 pm (Costa Rica time) with speakers from Mexico, Brazil and Venezuela.

To register email: aicainternational.webinar@gmail.com

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WEBINARIO: Parálisis y disrupción en la crítica de arte de México y Sudamérica

Entre 1960 y el año 2000 se establece una importante división entre la crítica de arte que se articula en las universidades y la que desarrollan legos y profesionales en los medios periodísticos y otros canales de difusión.

La Regional de AICA Latinoamérica y el Caribe ha organizado por ello tres webinarios entre las secciones nacionales que suponen un examen minucioso en torno a los modelos críticos con los cuales se piensa el arte en las distintas regiones comprendidas así como visibiliza a los críticos que han sido pioneros de metateorías como la identidad cultural integracionista que buscaba definir un arte latinoamericano y aquellos que luego en el posmodernismo se volvieron detractores en favor de un arte más internacional para finalmente revisar su papel en la contemporaneidad. Además, supone una mirada desde la crítica en el período indicado del arte moderno y contemporáneo. 

El tercero y último de la serie tendrá lugar el jueves 14 de noviemnbre a las 6 pm (Hora de Sao Paulo, Brasil), 4 pm de Costa Rica con ponentes de México, Brasil y Venezuela. This session will be conducted in Spanish.

Regístrense hoy mismo al correo: aicainternational.webinar@gmail.com 

OPEN CALL: Residency Programme for curators and art critics based in the European Union

The DRAC Île-de-France, the TRAM network, and the Cité internationale des arts announce their collaboration and the launch of a research residency program aimed at exhibition curators and/or art critics working and residing in the European Union. The objective of this program is to encourage and facilitate their mobility by supporting opportunities for engagement with the French artistic and curatorial scene, while also supporting projects focused on research that can benefit from the working environment provided by the Cité internationale des arts.

The partners are committed to supporting the laureates by offering them privileged mentorship related to their research and providing them with professional networking opportunities in the Île-de-France region.

Following this call for applications and the convening of a jury, two laureates will be selected.

All practical details and information are available here (please review these carefully before submitting your application). 

Application deadline: 30 October 2024

AICA podcast with Niilofur Farrukh

The AICA Podcast, created and hosted by Mihaela Ion, is back with its second episode, featuring Niilofur Farrukh, a Karachi-based art interventionist and chair of AICA’s Censorship and Freedom of Expression Committee.

In this episode, we delve into the history of AICA in Pakistan, exploring how the country’s evolving socio-political landscape influences artistic expression and art criticism. We highlight the initiatives of AICA’s Censorship and Freedom of Expression Committee, which works to establish guidelines that support artists, cultural workers, and curators in navigating the challenges of limited freedom of speech, fostering a supportive environment for creative work in the face of censorship.

AICA, in collaboration with its international network, is actively developing a Censorship Toolkit to support cultural workers facing censorship challenges. In the podcast, Niilofur Farrukh presents a short version of the toolkit, which includes strategies for navigating censorship situations, highlights available resources, and promotes solidarity among artists, curators, art critics, and cultural practitioners.

This episode also focuses on the Karachi Biennale, exploring its rich cultural heritage and historical significance in the region. The discussion touches on the challenges the event has faced, including logistical and social hurdles, while highlighting the new curatorial concept that aims to reinforce the Biennale’s impact on both local and international art scenes. The Karachi Biennale, will open its doors to visitors on October 27 for two weeks and showcase art in five public spaces across Karachi.

About the Moderator: Mihaela Ion
Mihaela Ion holds a Ph.D. in History and is a curator, cultural manager, and art researcher based in Bucharest. Since 2021, she has been an AICA member and has served as an International Board Member since 2022, as well as being part of the Digital Strategies Committee. Over the past 17 years, she has presented papers on Communist Art, Cultural Wars, and contemporary artworks at leading conferences across Europe. Mihaela collaborates with several art galleries and museums throughout the continent. Her Ph.D. thesis focuses on the heritage of communist artworks. She has had the opportunity to work as a cultural manager in London with body>data>space and in Paris, Sélestat, Strasbourg, and Nancy during her Courants du Monde grant from the French Ministry of Culture. In 2010, she co-founded Atelierul Magazine, an active international online and offline platform fostering intercultural dialogue between design creators and the public.

About the Speaker: Niilofur Farrukh
Niilofur Farrukh is a Karachi-based art interventionist whose work has expanded the scope of art publication, curation, and public art in Pakistan. Primarily motivated by issues of decolonization and the intersections between political ideology and visual narrative, her writing focuses on excavating the interdisciplinary connections often lost in Pakistan’s complex cultural and political landscape. She is the author of three books, including her most recent publication, A Beautiful Despair: The Art and Life of Meher Afroz. Niilofur co-founded NuktaArt, Pakistan’s contemporary art magazine, and served as its founding editor for 10 years while it was in print. Her work has appeared in leading Pakistani and South Asian publications, and she is regularly invited to speak at conferences worldwide.

Niilofur has served two terms as Vice President on the Board of the International Art Critics Association and is the former Chair of the Election and Membership Committee. She currently chairs the Censorship and Freedom of Expression Committee, is a member of the FFC, and sits on the jury for the AICA Young Critic Award. In 2023, she was invited to serve on the jury for the Shanghai-based International Public Art Prize. Niilofur is a founding member of the Karachi Biennale Trust and has been its Managing Trustee since 2016. She currently serves as the CEO of the Karachi Biennale.

Karachi Biennale KB24

The Fourth Karachi Biennale KB24 will open its doors to visitors on October 27 for two weeks and showcase art in five public spaces across Karachi.

This theme Rizq/ Risk will connect visitors to the foodscape of our time. Combining the Urdu work Rizq that encompasses livelihood , sustenance and food, in relationship to the English word Risk, creates a sense of urgency as the world faces concerns regarding food security. The theme is in response to Pakistan’s recent flood and heatwaves that has impacted food security and calls for us to pause for a moment, and reflect. Over 40 artists from 10 countries through their art,  will start conversations on colonial and Neo-liberal polices of food production and trade that privilege capital gain over hunger and ecology. Works will offer insights into indigenous wisdom as a key to healing the land and environment,  and make visible the central role of women as keepers of traditional knowledge and food cultures.  The KB24 curator, Waheeda Baloch is a professor at University of Sindh, Jamshoro. She holds a master’s degree in Curating Art from Stockholm University, Sweden. Prior to this, she earned a master’s in Fine Arts from Sindh University and is now pursuing her PhD in Contemporary Art History at the Department of Asian and Islamic Art History at the Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität in Bonn, Germany.

The Karachi Biennale is the flagship project of Karachi Biennale Trust (KBT). KBT is a registered Trust, founded in 2016 and operates as a non-profit organization and a platform to promote creativity, innovation, and critical thinking in the visual arts. KBT has organized three successful iterations of Karachi Biennales from 2017 to 2022 . This has contributed to the further development of the art infrastructure through vitalizing new public art spaces across Karachi. All its exhibitions are supported by an extensive public programming to help enhance the experience of art and its understanding. Its mandate is to connect art, the city and its people.

Niilofur Farrukh , the Chair of the AICA CFEC is the Founding Managing Trustee of KBT and CEO of KB.