Chilean Miracle examines the transformations Chile witnessed since the 1970s, following Augusto Pinochet’s brutal dictatorship and the arrival of neoliberalism’s no less ruthless global capitalism.

Using theorist, curator, and art historian Andrés Grillo’s and Angie Saiz’s curatorial texts as a jumping-off point, artists Sergio Acevedo, Mario Z, Francisco Huichaqueo, María José Rojas, Hugo Leonello, Angie Saiz and Alejandra Herrera respond to a phenomena still unfolding within the socio-political contexts in which they live, while also interrogating the claims and conventions of the exhibition space.

Curators Saiz and Grillo with Macarena Gomez Barris will address the scope and limitations of neoliberalism in relation to the works on view in an artists panel on June 1st.

Open Studios: FRI MAY 22- TUE MAY 26

Reception: May 27th 7-10PM with a performance by Alejandra Herrera Silva

Concert: Mario Z & The Museo Realmente Contemporáneo / Guest: Benjamin Wildenhaus: May 29th 7-10PM

Artists Talk with Macarena Gomez Barris: Mon, June 1st  7pm

Gallery Hours: Wed-Sun, NOON-6PM or by appointment

CURATORIAL TEXTS

The September 11th of 1973 marks a crucial date to Chile. That day a State’s coup headed by Augusto Pinochet gaves term to the three years of Salvador Allende’s marxist  and democratic government. Involved in the active discourse of the cold war, the nationalism and the Chilean ultraright-wing saw in Pinochet the restoration of order and the country’s dignity contaminated before by the left. The followed history is already known: a brutal dictatorship, world famous for the repression and atrocities imposed on the society.

Behind of the repressive action, however, the creation of a new socio-economic model was brewing. A neo-liberal experiment that puts in action the thought of economist Milton Friedman and that would conduct a deep transformation, creating a graft through the horror, in an absolute detriment of the historical course of the country.

With that, it would occur at the historic course, an individual and collective split with all kinds of imbalances, a mute and unable history to reconnect itself, being then, the neo-liberalism incapable of giving direction and coherence to a single speech. Islands of identity sense, coated and reconnected by the apparatus grafted, still in the diminishment of its original meaning.

The “Chilean miracle”, the economic success of the country, has shown an image of excellence that is legitimized in the idea of a society composed after the differences experienced since the 1970s, which, on the contrary, have survived in the new model.

In this perspective, it is of great value return to wonder which are the real scopes of this transformation?, which the benefits and which disadvantages? And in the same way, what is the possible visual story of that “miracle”?

The experience acquired is replicable anywhere in the world where extensive economic transformations are imposed to populations who are unable to react. The gained experience of split living in Chile as a natural, determines a vision reflecting on the invited artists as critical exercise of a society that is increasingly alien to its history.

ANDRÉS GRILLO . December 2014

Chilean Miracle:

History is sometimes alien to its society; the broad transformations dilute the gap between the promise of a stable future and the anxiety of its actual outcome.

This is an exhibition project born from the innocent hope of a possibility / betting and putting effort towards the objective / when achievement is reached, distrust and exaltation /thus…

By the rule of three, percentage of success – possibility – impact, where

A is equal to the curatorial work (commendation)

100 is equal to habitat (displacement)

nº% is equal to the expected result

X is equal to real visibility (Is, To be)

In the equation:

A      =      100

X                           nº%

Only if we define that:

Curatorial

1. Formulation and development of an exhibition project. 2. A theoretical creation, fruit of lobby, which brings personal rewards. 3. Also, the sum of the efforts to achieve the grant to travel.

Annex Commendation: 1. Term of Roman origin; agreement by which an individual or customer of lower position is located under the protection of a superior. 2. Put under the protection of a higher authority as God or a saint.

Factor:

1. Element, circumstance or influence that contributes to produce a result. 2. Amount multiplied by another to find the product. (Habitat, referring to the influential socio-cultural agents in the context chosen)

Annex Displacement: 1. Shift or transfer of a person or thing from one place to another. 2. To remove a person from an office or staff position to put to another in his place.

Expected Result:

1. According to Fondart effect to achieve according to the objectives in a project, determining the means of verifying them. 2. Arbitrary will conditioned to the multiplicity of unpredictable and random actions of the chosen context.

Annex Miracle: 1. Extraordinary and wonderful event that cannot be explained by the regular laws of nature and is attributed to the intervention of God or a supernatural being. 2. Extraordinary event that causes admiration or surprise.

Visibility:

1. According to Fondart, a phenomenon to occur within the context chosen in relation to the reasons for the need of realizing the project. 2. What can be perceived by sight. 3. That which is clear and manifest.

Annex Is (To be): 1. Exist within reality. 2. To occur or take place. 3. To Serve or be destined for something specific.

X Conclusion:

The impact % to occur is impossible to predict / the order of factors can affect the product / the results are not all quantifiable and provable, because the past form cannot assure the future outcome and, therefore, the specific quantification of the present looses meaning beyond the distance between both contexts / sometimes, miracles can happen.

ANGIE SAIZ, April 2015.

 

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Francisco Huichaqueo (1977) holds a degree in painting from the University of Chile with highest distinction, also has studies in Documentary Film Film School Chile. He serves as academic in Experimental Video, Digital Animation and Drawing and Color at the University of Chile and the Arcos Institute. It has cured three samples of video art, animation and experimental film, Plastic Videos, Video Instances of Art and Lenguamadre presented at the Museum of Visual Arts in 2007, 2008 and 2009 respectively. Additionally he has participated as in the events: XI Festival del Bosque Video and Film Festival Concepción. His work has been subject to analysis in various bodies including the 5th International Festival of Animation and Time FLIP 2009 TVN 25 and Via X. Besides that receives frequent invitations to discuss the process of their work in cultural centers and exhibition spaces Europeans in the context of the exhibition tour Warriache funded by the Chilean Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Hugo Leonello (1977) He did his studies at the Faculty of Arts of the University of Chile. His work has been exhibited in Chile, Mexico, Ecuador, Argentina, Spain, France and USA, both individually and collectively. It has been benefited from scholarships, as FOECA and FONCA, State Fund and National for Culture and the Arts of Mexico (2009, 2012), special support performing work abroad of To National Council for Culture and the Arts in conjunction with the Directorate General of International Affairs of Mexico (2012) and the Development Fund for the Arts and Cultural de Chile (2004). Among the awards outstanding selection for XV Biennial of Painting Rufino Tamayo, Mexico 2011 (Hons), Arteamericas ninth edition, USA (2011), V National Biennial of Visual Arts Yucatan (2012), IX Biennial FEMSA Monterrey Mexico 2009 (collection FEMSA), Fotografest, Festival of Dance and Electronic Media Photography Video of Mexico (2008), Peripheral, Art Base, Meeting New Trends and Languages of Contemporary Art in Argentina (2006), the honorable Mention in Young Art, Chile (2004), and the selection for the Biennial of Video and New Media, Juan Downey de Chile (2003).

María José Rojas (1974) is an artist Visual Artist Medial and Theatrical designer. Develops his work in the conjunction of these three disciplines media installation, video and object construction. The themes that the artist addresses are born from a concern for pointing invisible or subtle aspects of reality, making the viewer complicit in a space of contemplation and awareness of their perception. Finding situations the edge of perception and our sense of reality speaks of a spiritual motivation in their art. His work has been exhibited in Chile, England, Poland, Iceland, Switzerland and the United States.

Sergio Acevedo (1982), is a visual artist with a degree in Fine Arts from the University Uniacc and Diploma in Cultural Management at the same institution. His artistic production has developed in building projects in-situ and, recently, in the work of unique pieces outcome of the investigation of materiality and conceptual translation operations. Currently, projects exhibitions both inside and outside the country, which are part of a series of works designed under this last line. It also makes editing and production work in visual arts. Lives and works in Santiago de Chile.

Mario Z (1970), visual and sound artist. He studied percussion at the National Conservatory of Music of the University of Chile and graduated in Fine Arts in Painting mention Arcis University. His work has developed from painting, installation, sound and experimental music, exerting media manipulation, forming a transfer of meaning thereof thereby constructing new discourses and paradoxes. He has exhibited in major museums and galleries and abroad. Her work is in private and institutional collections. He won the “International Competition for the creation and audiovisual authorship Juan Downey” (2013) of the 11th Biennial Medial Arts at the National Museum of Fine Arts in Santiago, Chile and is nominated for “Altazor” award in the categories of installation and video art (2014). Lives and works in Santiago de Chile.

Angie Saiz (1977) is visual artist producing work in painting, photography, public intervention and video installation. His work develops aesthetic problems from imaginary biographical and crossing and crises between new technologies and concepts of time, limbo and ruin. He has exhibited at important venues in Chile, including the Museum of Contemporary Art, Museum of Visual Arts MAVI and Metropolitan Gallery. He has also participated in samples outside the country in areas such as YAKU in Quito Water Museum and Marta Traba Gallery in Sao Paulo. It also works as a producer in visual arts projects and performs editorial work in related publications. He currently lives and works in Santiago de Chile, and performs exhibition projects inside and outside the country.
Alejandra Herrera Silva (1978) received her BFA from Universidad de Chile and further studies in Valencia, España and Belfast, Ireland. She was co-founder of PERFOPUERTO (Independent Organization of Performance Art in Chile, 2002-2007) and has received several grants from FONDART (National Fund for The Arts and Culture) and DIRAC (Department of Cultural Affairs Ministry of Foreign Affairs). Her work is installation and performance based. Her body becomes a site of exploration, where issues of gender reference the inevitable biological implications that the body has as a social and political being. In recent years, she has been working on the issue of maternity and domestic life. Her work has been presented in performance festivals such as: Trouble in Belgium, Anti in Finland, Staglinec in Croatia, 7A11D in Canada; and other countries such as Germany, Poland, Japan, Mexico, Venezuela, Argentina, United States, and Northern Ireland. Since 2007, she lives in Los Angeles, California.

Organized by: Alejandra Herrara Silva