#immigrantartistprogram | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

nyfacurrent · 5 years

Text

Announcing | Participants in the 2018-19 Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program: Detroit

Meet this year’s participants!

Through the support of Ford Foundation, The New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) is pleased to announce the participants in the 2018-19 NYFA Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program: Detroit, which is presented in collaboration with local partners Creative Many, Arab American National Museum, and Global Detroit.

The program combines two of NYFA’s professional development programs: the Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program, which provides access to artist mentors and art professionals via panels and workshops, and the Artist As Entrepreneur Boot Camp, which provides artists with the fundamental principles of sustainability in the arts. Featured topics include strategic planning, finance, law, marketing, and fundraising, with additional material drawn from NYFA’s newly-revised popular textbook The Profitable Artist (Allworth Press, 2018).

2018-19 Participants and Disciplines:

Mentee Shiraz Ahmed, Film/New Media (Pakistan), paired with Mentor Osvaldo Rivera, Performing (United States)

Mentee Ievgeniia Andrusiak, Visual (Ukraine), paired with Mentor Oksana Mirzoyan, Visual (Armenia/Azerbaijan)

Mentee Adrian Buncuga, Literary (New Zealand), paired with Mentor Katie McGowan, Performing/Literary (United States)

Mentee Edgar Cardenas, Visual (Mexico), paired with Mentor Andrea Eckert, Visual/Multidisciplinary (United States)

Mentee Cinthya Elizabeth Casillas, Literary (Mexico), paired with Mentor Nandi Comer, Literary (United States)

Mentee Ann Esshaki, Literary (Iraq), paired with Mentor Ajara Alghali, Performing (Sierra Leone)

Mentee Aiko Fukuchi, Literary (Japan), paired with Mentor Shaun Nethercott, Literary (United States)

Mentee Margarita Grishina, Film/New Media (Kazakhstan), paired with Mentor Levon Kafafian, Multidisciplinary (United States)

Mentee Julianna Gonzalez, Performing (Colombia/Puerto Rico), paired with Mentor Christina deRoos, Visual (United States)

Mentee Baraa Ktiri, Multidisciplinary (Morocco), paired with Mentor Sherrine Azab, Performing (United States)

Mentee Tammy Lakkis, Multidisciplinary (Lebanon), paired with Mentor Ava Ansari, Multidisciplinary (Iran)

Mentee Simona Lucut, Visual (Romania), paired with Mentor Katrina Daniels, Curator (United States)

Mentee Abhishek Narula, Interdisciplinary (India), paired with Mentor Paulina Petkoski, Visual/Fashion (United States)

Mentee Demetrio Nasol, Film/New Media (United States), paired with Mentor Oksana Mirzoyan, Visual (Armenia/Azerbaijan)

Mentee Thaad Sabolboro, Film/New Media (Philippines), paired with Mentor Christina deRoos, Visual (United States)

Mentee Lauren Santucci, Visual (United States), paired with Mentor Ava Ansari, Multidisciplinary (Iran)

Mentee Alberte Tranberg, Visual (Denmark), paired with Mentor Laura Gajewski, Visual (United States)

Mentee Valeria Zozaya, Visual (Mexico), paired with Mentor Mary Gagnon, Visual/Literary (United States)

This program is made possible with the generous support of the Ford Foundation.

Click here for more information on the Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program. And don’t forget to sign up for the monthly Con Edison IAP Newsletter to receive opportunities and events as well as artist features directly to your inbox.

Image: 2018-19 Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program: Detroit participants pictured in front of OTHER: Arab Artists Collective, Detroit’s Journeys & Distances, 2005, acrylic on canvas

#nyfaiap #nyfa iap #immigrant artists #immigrant artist mentoring program #nyfa learning #nyfashion #ford foundation #fordfoundation #detroit #creative many #creativemany #arabamericanmuseum #arab american museum #global detroit #globaldetroit #announcements #immigrant artist program #immigrantartistprogram #instagram

2 notes · View notes

nyfacurrent · 4 years

Text

Conversations | Musah Swallah, Rupy C. Tut, and Jason Wyman

"Sharing the impact of personal narratives and challenges on the work being presented and pointing to the smaller narratives that the work is visually and symbolically built on keeps the audience engaged, and offers to share the layered existence of immigrant artists.” – Rupy C. Tut

Visual artist Musah Swallah (IAP Newark ’18) recently collaborated with Rupy C. Tut (IAP Oakland ’19) and Jason Wyman (IAP Oakland Mentor ’18 and ’19) on a virtual studio tour and conversation about his art. The event was a great success, and the trio has much wisdom to impart on showcasing one's artwork in a live, online setting.

NYFA: Tell us about your process of coming together to collaborate on this project.

Musah Swallah: Our participation in the NYFA Immigrant Artist Mentoring program is what brought us together to collaborate on this project. Check-ins from NYFA program organizers such as Judy Cai regarding updates on my artistic career allowed us to stay connected and eventually collaborate on this project.

Jason Wyman: In 2019, I was a Mentor Artist in NYFA’s Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program in Oakland, CA. There, I met artist Rupy C. Tut. At the end of the program, I asked if any mentee would be interested in co-designing some sort of virtual convening of the immigrant artists in NYFA’s programs nationally, and Rupy stepped up.

Over the fall of 2019, Rupy and I—in collaboration with Judy Cai and Felicity Hogan—designed a series of Video Roundtables on topics including values clarification, opportunity identification, and decision making. We began these virtual conversations in February 2020 as COVID-19 started appearing in New York and shelter-in-place orders spread across the country, including the San Francisco Bay Area.

Rupy and I offered to continue convening immigrant artists nationally, centering on the question, “How do we support each other during this pandemic?” Musah attended one of our open sessions, and on the call he mentioned that he wouldn’t be able to showcase the art he created during his residency because COVID-19 made art openings impossible. Rupy and I offered to support Musah in hosting a virtual studio tour and artist talk.

NYFA: Do you have advice on how to put an online show together? For example, what platforms to use, length of time, ways of organizing, what works to show and the ones you shouldn’t, etc?

JW: My main piece of advice is to ask yourself, “what do I want to get out of showing my work online?” Musah wanted to share the paintings he created during his residency (and some from before his residency) with his community. This helped us focus the online show because we knew what works would be shown and who would be in attendance.

For Musah’s show, we determined that about 60 minutes would be best and a platform like Zoom would be the easiest. Zoom allowed us the opportunity to have both a gallery view of Musah’s whole community, but also a presentation view so we could show his artwork. We showed photographs of work and live views of the physical works. This allowed us to be able to both look at the pieces at a distance and see elements like paint strokes and materials up close.

Rupy C. Tut: I believe that the key to putting on an online artist talk/show is audience engagement and meaningful storytelling. In the context of immigrant artists, sharing the impact of personal narratives and challenges on the work being presented and pointing to the smaller narratives that the work is visually and symbolically built on keeps the audience engaged, and offers to share the layered existence of immigrant artists.

Communication can be a barrier within the art world for immigrant artists, especially when referencing cultures, traditions, and art forms that represent non-Eurocentric parts of the world. To address this barrier, I suggested guiding questions that can allow enough depth to share aspects of the rich cultural roots of the immigrant artist and their artwork, but also allow for a perspective on how their current work relates very crucially to the issues at hand in the larger global community. Guiding prompts can include sharing a unique origin story, purpose for approaching an opportunity or work, the evolution of thought on their journey, challenges and accomplishments, as well as impact on the future of their artistic practice.

NYFA: Rupy and Musah, as immigrant artists, what lessons or experiences can you share that might be useful for our readers to hear about?

MS: My advice for immigrant artists is to be patient, focus on your craft, and understand that regardless of the challenges you face, you will persevere. It is important that you persevere as an immigrant artist in order to share your story and the stories of those you represent in your art with the world. In order to persevere you need to find a niche—a community of like-minded artists who will offer support and advice when you need it the most. As an immigrant artist you will experience discrimination, but don't let that hold you back. Use it as inspiration. Use your art as a form of activism and bring to light the injustices you and others face as immigrants. Be patient, humble, and keep practicing your craft.

RCT: The most important lesson I have learned as an immigrant artist is the importance of my unique voice in my work and the presentation of my work as authentic to my individual mix of cultures and identities. I think immigrant artists have an individual voice that is also sometimes inclusive of family and community-centric values. The art world sometimes deludes us into diluting our stories to offer a version more “fitted” to the language and positionality of our surrounding art world pockets. I would advise immigrant artists to stay clear of this delusion and to avoid changing the core of their creative narratives to tailor to opportunities that fulfill a false sense of acceptance. Authentic work leads to a more successful life-long creative journey.

- Interview Conducted by Alicia Ehni, Program Officer and Kyle Lopez, REDC Fellow

This post is part of the ConEdison Immigrant Artist Program Newsletter #131. Subscribe to this free monthly e-mail for artist’s features, opportunities, and events. Learn more about NYFA Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program.

Image: Musah Swallah, Photo Credit: Fatoumata Magassa; Rupy C. Tut, Photo Credit: Lara Kaur; Jason Wyman, Photo Credit: Courtesy of the artist

0 notes

nyfacurrent · 4 years

Text

Conversations | Ahmed Moneka and Martita Abril at Toronto Arts

The Iraqi-Canadian performance artist and the Mexican-New York based dancer participant of NYFA’s Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program (IAP) discuss their arts mentorship experiences.

Since 2010, Neighbourhood Arts Network, a strategic initiative of the Toronto Arts Foundation, has offered accessible arts programming, awards, and exciting partnership opportunities to Toronto-based artists, arts educators, and arts organizations.

The portal for their Community Arts Award opens at the end of June. This award—presented every fall—celebrates an arts organization that has made a significant contribution in Toronto by working with, in and for communities, while creating access and inclusion to arts and culture. Additionally, in July, they are continuing to offer their Mentor in Residence program, which will include mentoring sessions for artists hoping to create and direct newcomer artist organizations in Toronto.

Recognizing the alignment between NYFA and Toronto Arts in working to mentor newcomer artists, Neighbourhood Arts brought Iraqi-Canadian performance artist Ahmed Moneka and Mexican-New York based dancer Martita Abril (participant of NYFA’s Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program) together for a conversation about their arts mentorship experiences, moderated by William Huffman of Dorset Fine Arts. This was just one program of Neighbourhood Arts Network’s Newcomer Week: Virtual Edition, a lineup of events meant to center artists not necessarily new to their craft, but new to a place. Below are a few select highlights of this enlightening collaboration, divided into three topics.

Newcomer Strategies

Ahmed Moneka spoke to starting out in Toronto, searching all over the web for theatre arts opportunities, and initially not finding anywhere that seemed like the right fit for him. Neighbourhood Arts Network supports Toronto Arts Council’s Newcomer Mentorship program by matching newcomer artists with mentors. They matched Moneka with Jeremy of Driftwood Theatre, which began a beautiful mutually beneficial mentorship where both artists could provide their expertise on their home theatre scenes.

Martita Abril spoke to the necessity of asking as many questions as possible in order to get accustomed to the art world language of a new place. Putting herself out there by saying yes to as many opportunities as possible allowed her to absorb information from many different sources.

Moneka also highlighted the importance of cultural immersion outside of the art world, in order to develop ways of responding and reacting in a new language, as well as writing art proposals in one’s new context. Working closely with people from the area, not just newcomers, helps a great deal. “Newcomers have to learn a lot of things about the environment, about the culture, about the connection and network with the other people, to figure out how to survive in this life,” explains the artist.

Ways to Improve Support Systems

When Abril arrived, she felt that there weren’t many grants for immigrant artists available that would make it possible for them to focus on their art. She said that many grants are allotted for institutions, but not as many for individuals, and definitely not dancers who are not also choreographers; so, increased opportunities for individual artists in more disciplines would help newcomers gain autonomy more quickly.

Moneka spoke to the difficulty of surviving on an entry-level arts salary. He found out about and applied for a grant from Youth Employment Services, an organization that provides grants to companies that have hired young people, so that they can pay them a higher salary. Artists could always have more support in writing these grants, especially with regard to the language barrier.

Mentorship vs. Apprenticeship

Abril described a mentorship as more intimate and one-on-one, and as a place where one can build artistic community while receiving honest, generous feedback. She has been closely mentored by Ephrat Asherie through NYFA’s Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program, and through Yanira Castro through Dance New Amsterdam.“In the performing arts and dance scene, an apprenticeship would be when you’re with a company, so before they hire you to be a full-time company member, you do an apprenticeship. It leads to a job,” explains Martita Abril.

Moneka states that a mentor just guides, with no expectation of getting anything in return. Mentors give individualized, expert input, without any boss-employee dynamic. He suggests that mentorship also operates in a bigger picture for an artist than an apprenticeship, since the guidance extends to many different areas as opposed to a focused apprenticeship.

About the Speakers

Since arriving in Canada from Iraq just four years ago, Ahmed Moneka’s contributions as a performing artist in music and theatre have been notable and welcomed. The scene has warmly embraced his Afro-Iraqi artistic heritage—its stories and songs—into its own growing cultural narrative. Moneka is one of the founders of Moskitto Bar and the creator-leader of Moneka Arabic Jazz. He has been an Artist-in-residence with Driftwood Theatre Group and Stingray Rising Stars winner (2019) at TD Toronto Jazz.

Martita Abril is a performer, choreographer, and teaching artist from the border city of Tijuana, México. Her work considers abstract elements of physical and cultural boundaries. She’s been a mentee and mentor for the NYFA Immigrant Artist Program and a volunteer interpreter aiding families seeking asylum at a Dilley, Texas detention facility. Find her at martita-abril.org.

- Alicia Ehni, Program Officer and Kyle Lopez, REDC Fellow

This post is part of the ConEdison Immigrant Artist Program Newsletter #130. Subscribe to this free monthly e-mail for artist’s features, opportunities, and events. Learn more about NYFA Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program.

Images from left to right: Ahmed Moneka, Photo Credit: Matthew Manhire; Martita Abril, Photo Credit: Aram Jibilian

1 note · View note

nyfacurrent · 5 years

Text

Conversations | Meet the Organizers of IAP San Antonio, “Admitted: USA” Exhibition

“The idea to submit an artistic proposal to the Centro de Artes Open Call first came up during the potluck hosted by Ricky Armendariz, where everyone got a chance to connect and share their thoughts and experiences.” - Kim Bishop

Admitted: USA is an exhibition by the first cohort of participants in NYFA’s Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program in San Antonio, and features sculpture, painting, installation, jewelry, photography, spoken word performances, films, and musical performances by 26 San Antonio-based artists in conjunction with three local partner organizations: Blue Star Contemporary, Art Pace, and SAY Sí. The artists covered various subjects including immigration, women’s issues, culture, family, LGBTQ issues, identity, and others. Keep on reading to learn more about the show and its organizers.

NYFA: Did the exhibition reveal aspects of the program that you did not focus on before?

Guillermina Zabala: The collaboration between mentor/mentee within a multidisciplinary creative process was an aspect of this program I did not focus on before we started planning this exhibit. As a mentor, producing new artworks with my mentees revealed a new facet in the reciprocal learning process. The impact of this experience is extremely valuable because it opened multiple opportunities for all artists involved. Creating art and showcasing it as a collective transformed the San Antonio NYFA Round 1 from a theory-based to a practical-creative based program. The exhibit Admitted: USA marks the perfect culmination for a 4-month professional development program and the beginning of an innovative new network of artists.

Kim Bishop: The main result of this exhibition that I have experienced is that now I feel we have really come together as a group. The fine line between Mentor and Mentee has blurred and the distinction that we were only paired with one or two is gone. We all worked together as a collaborative group. I feel that I am Mentor to all and that I am Mentee to all at the same time. It has truly been an enlightening experience.

Luis Valderas: The exhibition revealed to me generational nuances between artists, as well as professional characteristics of the various levels of participating artists that I learned to bridge.

Sarah Fisch: Because of the exhibition, I got to listen to many more artists, whose bios I got to read and help edit. It affected me not with their immigration histories, but with their work. I knew many of the Mentor artists pretty well, but got to know them better and developed an even higher esteem for them; watching them share resources and take such deep interest in the issues and creative struggles their mentees are facing.

NYFA: How has the program helped you in moving closer towards your own/communal goal(s)?

KB: One of my goals is to be an arts organizer and curator. Working on this exhibit has helped me with professional writing techniques like budgets, proposals, and artist contracts. Additionally, I have learned how to organize a large long-term exhibition and how to organize its programming. I have also learned marketing strategies and how funding and budgeting work with a municipality.

SF: Collaborating as a steering committee bonded the members as people, and it also felt like at least some little bit of meaningful work as our immigration policy crisis is not only ongoing but escalating. I was inspired by an interview I did with one of the mentees of the program and my own mentee became a good friend. These are just two of countless examples of talented and valuable artists who either navigated or are actively threatened by our immigration policies. From a civic standpoint, I knew that if their work could be seen by the public, it would humanize the dilemma.

NYFA: Luis M. Garza, you came on board sharing your photography expertise, and link as a staff member from our cultural partner, National Association of Latino Arts and Cultures (NALAC).

Luis M. Garza: While I was not a mentor, my role within the exhibition committee was to use my photographic and design skills to photo-document and promote the artists, mentors, and the exhibition itself. My contribution filled a critical need for accessible, high-quality documentation of artworks, exhibition installation, and related events, which is essential to the promotion of both individual artists and presenting institutions as well as to the preservation of the artists’ voice and institutional history for future generations.

The work I furnished included portrait sessions of artists and mentors; artworks and gallery installation documentation; event photography of the exhibition’s opening reception, film night, performances, and the upcoming artist talk; and, lastly, the layout design of the exhibition catalog.

NYFA: Do you have any advice for artists that are new to a city and interested in creating their own opportunities?

LV: Take notice of how the institutions in the city support artists and participate in events by collaborating with those institutions. Talk to the artists of the city that you are new to and make friends.

GZ: Visit museums, contemporary arts centers, and community arts centers. While visiting these venues, look and ask for any future artist talks, art events, and/or educational opportunities. I feel that one of the best ways to network with new people is by going to art openings and cultural events. Another way to learn more about the art scene of a specific city is by visiting art galleries to get a feel for the type of artwork that community is creating and interested in acquiring.

Connecting with established artists by going to art openings and other artistic events might open opportunities to showcase your work. First in group shows and then once the community gets to be more familiar with your medium, style, and techniques, you will have more chances to submit proposals for solo or two-person shows. It is also important to constantly search for open calls from art centers, galleries, universities, and other artistic venues.

NYFA: You all keep a very active artistic practice. Do you want to share any other upcoming projects or plans for the future?

KB: Things are really hopping for me right now. Luis and I have opened up our LLC officially and are starting to work on some major public city projects. Additionally, I have been accepted into the MFA program at the University of Texas-San Antonio. I have been awarded a scholarship and fellowship and will begin this Fall while continuing to teach at Southwest School of Art. I am also excited to announce that I will be having a solo exhibition at the Elisabet Ney Museum in Austin for Print Austin in 2020.

GZ: In the Fall of 2019, I'll have some new work in the exhibit 20/20 curated by Spare Parts Mini Art Museum. I've also been admitted to the Masters in Media Studies program at The New School and will start this Fall. My thesis will focus on youth digital media and its social impact.

LV: I am keeping pace with a number of projects. To begin with, I am in the middle of preparations for the long-awaited Project: MASA-IV, which will open July 2020 through January 2021 at The Centro De Artes. The fourth installment of the exhibition series will continue using science fiction and outer space in both serious and satirical approaches to contemporary events dealing with immigration, identity, and social justice, as they relate to “Chican@ Space” at a national and cosmic level. I am also officially part of Bishop & Valderas LLC — “We are a production house for ideas.” Our offices are based out of our art studio that we are currently retrofitting and updating. This will help us hit the ground running in our recently awarded public project. The studio grounds will also be designed to function as gathering space, meditational space, and work space.

Admitted: USA is fully funded by the City of San Antonio Department of Arts and Culture.

Learn more about Ricky Armendariz, Kim Bishop, Sarah Fisch, Luis M. Garza, Luis Valderas, and Guillermina Zabala.

- Interview Conducted by Alicia Ehni, Program Officer at NYFA Learning

This interview is part of the ConEdison Immigrant Artist Program Newsletter #119. Subscribe to this free monthly e-mail for artist’s features, opportunities, and events.

Images: Exhibition views of Admitted: USA, Photo Credit: Luis M. Garza

0 notes

nyfacurrent · 5 years

Text

Conversations | Gisela Insuaste

“Support for local artists and makers brings people together to create change.”

For Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program: Oakland consultant Gisela Insuaste, all experiences can inform her practice, from a bike ride in the hills to a leisurely walk along a lake or a plane ride across the ocean. Born and raised in New York City by Ecuadorian parents, she is an artist, arts administrator, educator, and cultural producer, who works as a Communications & Program Specialist at the Center for Cultural Innovation (CCI).

Read our interview below to learn about Insuaste’s experience moving from New York City to the East Coast five years ago, and the importance of connecting with the landscape and the people.

NYFA: Can you tell us about your experience moving from the East Coast to the West Coast?

Gisela Insuaste: Moving to the West Coast was a lot harder than I anticipated. I moved out here for love, and didn’t have anything set up for myself.

The biggest initial challenge was feeling disconnected to the landscape and as a result, to the people around me. I really didn’t know who my community was (Latinx, artists, outdoor enthusiasts, educators, etc.) or where/how I “fit” in this landscape. New York City has so many diverse art spaces and art-making practices and conversations on a range of different issues and themes, ranging from conceptual to literal to abstract modes of expression and execution using diverse media. Having lived in a large metropolitan city with a large immigrant population, with many cultural institutions, and resources/funding opportunities for artists and communities, the Bay Area is a very different place altogether. In the Bay Area, I felt that the range of art-making and expression was different—less international and more regionally-focused. Well, what I didn’t realize then and realize now, is that the local matters tremendously, and support for local artists and makers brings people together to create change.

Having a supportive and creative partner who also loves the outdoors and biking has also been a tremendous factor in this transition. He keeps it real for me. He has questioned my New York-centric mentality and has encouraged me to develop my interests out here. Moving to the West Coast and reinventing yourself is something that many people have done before me and, honestly, I didn’t want to reinvent myself—I liked who I was. This place has helped me to reflect and develop my interests, as well as prioritize what’s important to me right now, experimenting with creative practices, and leading a lifestyle that reflects my values and love of art, music, nature, and people that inspire me to be involved in my community. The landscape in which I find myself has a strong pull to dig deeper and connect with people around you but also question and challenge injustices you see.

Five years later and I feel very fortunate to be in Oakland, it has been transformative on many levels.

NYFA: You are an artist, arts administrator, educator, and cultural producer. How do you balance your administrative work with your artistic practice?

GI: I think of them as part of my identity as a human being (and engaged in activities that are important to me), and avoid thinking of these as separate, vying for my time and energy. I see them in collaboration.

Ideally, the administrative work connects, informs, or inspires my artistic practice and vice-versa, but most importantly, aligns with my values. Actually, that’s the case for all activities, relationships, etc. in my life. I’d like to say that once your values are aligned, then everything is perfect! But that’s not the case—it’s also about time management and prioritizing the work, making adjustments, always. Sometimes, administrative work will require more time, while a creative project takes back seat. Shifting gears for a 35-mile bike ride in the hills is just as important if your body and mind need to be outdoors.

To go back to your question, I would rephrase it as how do I manage my administrative work and artistic practice or work in collaboration with other parts of my life—I would say by keeping a detailed calendar and making adjustments as needed to the amount of time I spend on activities in relation to the goals/tasks I want to accomplish for that day, week, etc. and being aware of my personal well being and mental health throughout.

A good practice for me is to take moments to play and socialize during intense work, either in the office or studio, with friends or colleagues. If need be, set parameters with people or spaces to manage time—decide what’s important to get the work done and surround yourself with what you think you’ll need. Assess where you’re at with your projects/personal well-being. Sleep, eat well. Go outdoors for a walk and get some Vitamin D!

NYFA: What is your current role at the Center for Cultural Innovation (CCI)?

GI: I recently started working at CCI, a non-profit arts organization that promotes knowledge-sharing, networking, and financial independence for artists and creative entrepreneurs. CCI is based in Los Angeles with an office in San Francisco. I’m still relatively new in my role as the Communications & Program Specialist. So far, I’ve had quite an experience working with grantmaking, professional development workshops, program development, and communications, including sharing the different CCI opportunities and resources for artists. After leaving the San Francisco Arts Commission in late 2017, I took a sabbatical from arts administration to engage in my creative practice, to explore, and to connect with the Bay Area differently. When I decided to step back into arts administration, I was interested in working with an organization that supports artists and their professional development, and learning about alternative economic systems that artists, especially POC (people of color) artists.

NYFA: Do you have resources and advice to share with immigrant artists?

GI: As POC and immigrant artists, we already bring so much knowledge and experiences to a new place and community. It may take some time to adjust and find your people but know that you have a lot to offer and share.

Take advantage of all those free activities offered by arts organizations and cultural institutions such as open studios, convenings, screenings, artist lectures, etc.

Social media such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are good places to find and share resources and opportunities about grants or residency opportunities, or interesting article posts about not only the arts field, but other issues and topics I find important (climate change, education, immigration, youth development, local news, etc.).

We don’t live in a vacuum, so avoid creating a bubble—find out what’s going on in other places outside your community and city, across the nation and the world, including your own country. It’s a way to keep informed and gauge the kind of conversations happening in different places. I’m fortunate to be connected not only to the East Coast but also the Mid-West and Latin America so I keep tabs on what’s going on in these areas, whether about politics or educational reforms.

But of course, interacting with people in real-time and in person is the best way to connect with others and learn a little about yourself in the process. I would recommend attending public events that you find interesting, including events in fields that may not be related to art but may intersect with your artistic practice. It’s okay to be awkward in new spaces—bring friends!

Sign up to receive newsletters from organizations, cultural institutions, libraries, city/state arts agencies, and artists/cultural workers and get the latest news, updates, events, and opportunities. Find out what’s happening on a local, regional, or national level and/or how to get involved. Examples: Art Practical, Creative Capital, Center for Cultural Innovation, Intersection for the Arts, California Arts Council, SF Arts Commission, Laundromat Project, A Blade of Grass, National Association of Latino Arts & Culture, Alliance for Artist Communities, and NYFA (of course), to name a few.

NYFA: Tell us about your upcoming commission with the NYC School Construction Authority, Public Art for Public School.

GI: The public art commission is a sculptural installation that will hang from the atrium of a new school addition at PS 254 in Sheepshead Bay, scheduled to open by August 2021. For the proposal, I was drawn to the history of the school’s neighborhood. The installation consists of a large suspended bridge-like sculpture inspired by the Ocean Avenue Bridge, a historic pedestrian footbridge that connects Sheepshead Bay to Manhattan Beach. This bridge represents a space of transition, with openness to new places and other neighborhoods. Like in my previous work, I am interested in how the landscape and built environments shape our experiences. Tentatively titled “Crossings & Bridges,” the sculpture functions like a drawing in space, a process that mirrors my walks through cities and spaces. Other suspended pieces will consist of local imagery such as native plants and architectural forms from the neighborhood. As part of the commission, I will also be leading several workshops with students that relate to my artistic process, including walking, observational drawing, and mapping.

- Interview Conducted by Alicia Ehni, Program Officer at NYFA Learning

This interview is part of the ConEdison Immigrant Artist Program Newsletter #118. Subscribe to this free monthly e-mail for artist’s features, opportunities, and events.

Images from top to bottom: Gisela Insuaste's shoes designed during a Seoul, South Korea residency, photo by Seng Chen/Gisela Insuaste; Insuaste riding her bike up a steep hill, through the redwoods near San Francisco, photo by Seng Chen; Photo project/experimentation during a sabbatical, photo by Gisela Insuaste; Photo project/experimentation during a sabbatical, photo by Gisela Insuaste.

#conversation #conversations #interview #iap #gisela insuaste #giselainsuaste #immigrant artist program #immigrantartistprogram #iap newsletter #iapnewsletter #nyfa learning #nyfalearning #iap interview #iapinterview #east coast art #east coast artists

0 notes

nyfacurrent · 4 years

Text

Announcing the Participants in the 2020 Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program: Visual and Multidisciplinary Arts

The newest Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program cohort brings together 21 artists from 16 countries and regions.

Through the support of Deutsche Bank, New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) is pleased to announce the participants in the 2020 NYFA Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program: Visual and Multidisciplinary Arts, presented in collaboration with New York cultural partners Assembly Room, BRIC, Eyebeam, New York Live Arts, Northern Manhattan Arts Alliance (NoMAA), Wave Hill, and UrbanGlass.

2020 Participants and Disciplines:

Mentee Zeshan Ahmed, Visual (India), paired with Mentor Marco Scozzaro, Visual (Italy).

Mentee Ekaterina Akuma, Visual (Russia), paired with Mentor Golnar Adili, Visual (Iran).

Mentee Ivana Brenner, Visual (Argentina), paired with Mentor Inna Babaeva, Visual (Ukraine).

Mentee Hedwig Brouckaert, Visual (Belgium), paired with Mentor Zahra Nazari, Visual (Iran).

Mentee Zorica Colic, Multidisciplinary (Serbia), paired with Mentor Luiza Kurzyna, Multidisciplinary (Poland).

Mentee Carin Kulb Dangot, Visual (Brazil), paired with Mentor Armita Raafat, Visual (Iran).

Mentee Bel Falleiros, Visual (Brazil), paired with Mentor Keren Anavy, Visual (Israel).

Mentee Nathier Fernandez, New Media (Colombia), paired with Mentor Claudia Sohrens, Visual (Germany).

Mentee Vinay Hira, Visual (New Zealand), paired with Mentor Christopher Ho, Visual (Hong Kong).

Mentee Hyun Jung Ahn, Visual (South Korea), paired with Mentor Fay Ku, Visual (Taiwan).

Mentee Jaejoon Jang, Visual (South Korea), paired with Mentor Larry Krone, Multidisciplinary (United States).

Mentee Ae Yun Kim, Visual (South Korea), paired with Mentor Cecile Chong, Visual (Ecuador).

Mentee Geuryung Lee, Visual (South Korea), paired with Mentor Kakyoung Lee, Visual (South Korea).

Mentee Jiaoyang Li, Multidisciplinary (China), paired with Mentor Jennifer Schmidt, Visual (United States).

Mentee Spandita Malik, Visual (India), paired with Mentor Sarah Walko, Visual (United States).

Mentee Levan Mindiashvili, Visual (Georgia), paired with Mentor Liliya Lifanova, Multidisciplinary (Kyrgyzstan).

Mentee j.p.mot, Multidisciplinary (Canada), paired with Mentor Antonio Serna, Visual (United States).

Mentee Bat-Ami Rivlin, Visual (Israel), paired with Mentor Daniela Kostova, Visual (Bulgaria).

Mentee Ghislaine Sabiti, Visual (Democratic Republic of Congo), paired with Mentor Yvette Molina, Visual (United States).

Mentee Leila Seyedzadeh, Visual (Iran), paired with Mentor Poppy DeltaDawn, Visual (United States).

Mentee Sofia Luisa Suazo Monsalve, Multidisciplinary (Chile), paired with Mentor Sophie Kahn, Visual (United States).

This program is made possible with the support of Deutsche Bank.

Image: 2020 Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program: Visual & Multidisciplinary Arts, Introduction Meeting, January 2020; Art in Background: Hannah Berry, A is also for ..., 2020, acrylic paint on wall

0 notes

nyfacurrent · 4 years

Text

Conversations | The Immigrant Artist Biennial (TIAB)

“To me, art has to shake things up, question the status quo, move barriers, erase genre-borders, engage the unseen, expose the unheard, and be somewhat difficult.” - Katya Grokhovsky

Artist, curator, and Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program participant Katya Grokhovsky envisioned an inclusive space for contemporary artists of all nationalities based in the U.S. and made it a reality by founding The Immigrant Artist Biennial (TIAB), a Fiscally Sponsored project and multi-disciplinary platform for immigrant artists to share, create, and experiment with their art and unique perspectives. NYFA interviewed Grokhovsky as she reflects on her own migration experience and relays her vision for TIAB in the early days of the project’s Kickstarter campaign.

Stay in the know and follow The Immigrant Artist Biennial on Instagram, and join them for a Kickstarter launch event—including a panel and performance—at Kickstarter’s HQ in Greenpoint, Brooklyn this Friday, November 8, 2019 from 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM. Register to attend here, and stay tuned for Spring 2020 when TIAB will launch a series of multi-venue exhibitions teeming with boundary-shifting art and public events.

NYFA: What gave you the idea for The Immigrant Artist Biennial?

Katya Grokhovsky: The idea for the biennial had been percolating in my mind for quite a while, inspired by my own story of migration—from Ukraine to Australia to the U.S.—as well as my work as a mentor over the years with immigrant artists in NYFA’s Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program. I took the plunge this year, establishing the project publicly and producing a model, which helped initiate ethical funding involving crowdfunding, fiscal sponsorship, and support through trusted and aligned private donors as well as social justice foundations. My intent in developing TIAB has been to celebrate the multicultural and vibrant fabric of the very foundation of the U.S. and to highlight and expose the extraordinarily valuable and significant contributions immigrant artists make to it.

NYFA: Why is this project important now?

KG: TIAB is an opportunity to rally behind immigrant artists and support their voices. I wanted to build a significant platform to highlight them, first in the U.S. and eventually, globally. I think immigrant artists have a unique position in society as outsiders and can often contribute a complex vision and an overview. The theme of the first biennial launching in Spring 2020 is HERE, TOGETHER, which explores our ever pressing and urgent need for togetherness, community, and particularly, care under the current political climate.

NYFA: As an immigrant artist yourself, what are some of the unique challenges that immigrant artists face in the U.S.?

KG: I myself have never felt like I belonged anywhere in particular, and my journey as an artist and cultural producer in the U.S. has not been without struggle, misunderstanding, exclusion, underestimation, and dismissal based on other’s assumptions. As immigrants, we often don’t know local customs, or misinterpret societal standards and codes of behavior, which often leads to humiliation and anxiety. As immigrant artists specifically, we are also often barred from receiving grants, residencies, fellowships, or teaching positions due to Visa status, which stunts career growth and derails projects and ultimately, dreams and lives. So over time, I personally have developed strategies for building my career myself, through constructing my own pathways of practice as an artist, curator, and mentor.

NYFA: Why was it important to you to select not only immigrant artists but those who work in difficult-to-define mediums?

KG: As someone who works in many mediums and genres and often lacks commercial success, funds, and opportunities, I’m passionate about exhibiting and supporting work which might not otherwise exist in the world. It is important to me to keep curating work which is experimental and challenging, igniting conversations and provoking new thoughts and ideas. To me, art has to shake things up, question the status quo, move barriers, erase genre-borders, engage the unseen, expose the unheard, and be somewhat difficult.

NYFA: Although this Biennial is produced every two years in New York City, there are ongoing events throughout the year. Can you share a bit more about this structure of programming?

KG: Beginning in April 2019, we have utilized a series of soft launch pop-up fundraising events at various venues that align with our mission and are mostly managed and directed by immigrant cultural producers, artists, and curators such as RadiatorArts Gallery, Assembly Room, East Village Art View, Art & Social Activism Festival, and Creator Residency at Kickstarter. My idea behind ongoing monthly events has been to build an audience and maintain relationships with our supporters, artists, and contributors. I see TIAB as much bigger than an art project or another biennial: it is a mission, a political statement, a campaign to give a voice to silenced artists, to uplift, applaud, and unite.

NYFA: How can artists or arts appreciators participate in and support the Immigrant Artist Biennial? KG: Artists can apply to participate in our upcoming Open Call, which can be found on our social media platforms and through subscription on our website very soon. To support and donate to TIAB, there are two ways: tax-exempt donations through the ‘Donate Now’ button on our project page on NYFA.org or through our crowdfunding Kickstarter campaign. NYFA: Why did you choose NYFA Fiscal Sponsorship?

KG: When I first moved to New York City after graduate school, I applied to NYFA’s Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program and after completing it, felt much more confident in establishing myself in the city. Now, after several years of working as a mentor in the program and having access to a large network of immigrant artists, NYFA Fiscal Sponsorship seemed like a very natural choice for my project. I have never had a fiscal sponsor before, and NYFA has been very supportive, gently coaching me and helping to navigate a brave new world!

-Interview Conducted by Priscilla Son, Program Officer, Fiscal Sponsorship & Finance

Are you an artist or a new organization interested in expanding your fundraising capacity through NYFA Fiscal Sponsorship? We accept out-of-cycle reviews year-round. No-fee applications are accepted on a quarterly basis, and our next deadline is December 31. Click here to learn more about the program and to apply. Sign up for our free bi-weekly newsletter, NYFA News, for the latest updates and news about Sponsored Projects and Emerging Organizations.

Images (from top): Yali Romagoza (IAP ’17), Normal is Good, I Like America and America likes me, 2016; Kathie Halfin, TIAB at Assembly Room, 2019, Photo Credit: Alex Sullivan; Pei Ling Ho, TIAB at Radiator Gallery, Photo Credit: Alex Sullivan, 2019; Natacha Voliakovsky, TIAB at Assembly Room 2019, Photo Credit: Alex Sullivan

0 notes