As practiced by the indigenous communities of Mexico, el Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) commemorates the transitory return to Earth of deceased relatives and loved ones. The festivities take place each year at the end of October to the beginning of November. This period also marks the completion of the annual cycle of cultivation of maize, the country’s predominant food crop. Families facilitate the return of the souls to Earth by laying flower petals, candles and offerings along the path leading from the cemetery to their homes. The deceased’s favourite dishes are prepared and placed around the home shrine and the tomb alongside flowers and typical handicrafts, such as paper cut-outs. Great care is taken with all aspects of the preparations, for it is believed that the dead are capable of bringing prosperity (e.g. an abundant maize harvest) or misfortune (e.g. illness, accidents, financial difficulties) upon their families depending on how satisfactorily the rituals are executed. The dead are divided into several categories according to cause of death, age, sex and, in some cases, profession. A specific day of worship, determined by these categories, is designated for each deceased person. This encounter between the living and the dead affirms the role of the individual within society and contributes to reinforcing the political and social status of Mexico’s indigenous communities. --Inscribed in 2008 on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity (originally proclaimed by UNESCO in 2003).

 
ARQUETOPIA OAXACA
Arquetopia Oaxaca is the newest residency space of Arquetopia, a nonprofit foundation based in Puebla, Mexico and run entirely by artists. Arquetopia’s programs promote development and social transformation through contemporary art with a non-traditional, culturally diverse and multidisciplinary approach. Arquetopia offers artist residency programs of the highest quality, making its staff available and creating a community among staff and resident artists. Arquetopia’s resident artist backgrounds are diverse in all aspects. As part of Arquetopia’s mission is to promote diversity, artists from Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, Latin America and the Middle East are especially encouraged to apply.

 

OAXACA
Oaxaca is a beautiful colonial city nestled in a valley in the Sierra Madre mountain range of Southern Mexico. Oaxaca is located 450 km (280 miles) southeast of Mexico City and reachable via three international airports: Oaxaca (OAX), Puebla (PBC), and Mexico City (MEX). Oaxaca boasts magnificent colonial architecture, the most outstanding example being Santo Domingo church and its former convent, now home to an impressive museum. The unusually colorful city and its surrounding areas also feature a high concentration of native Zapotec and Mixtec cultures and archaeological sites. Oaxaca was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987 for its central Historic Monuments Zone and the archaeological site of Monte Alban. Getting around Oaxaca is easy and enjoyable; museums, studios, libraries and landmarks are all in walking distance. At an elevation of 1555 m (5100 ft), Oaxaca features a subtropical climate, resulting in mild-to-warm temperatures year-round.

 

Arquetopia Oaxaca is located right in the heart of the Historic Monuments Zone. Only two blocks from the popular Calle de Alcalá (a picturesque street known for its restaurants, museums, shops, and nightlife), our spectacular and newly renovated adobe casona, hosting up to ten artists at a time, is also two blocks from the extraordinary Santo Domingo church and museum.

 

 

ART PRODUCTION ARTIST RESIDENCY
ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE
The Art Production Artist Residency offers important professional opportunities for emerging and mid-career national and international contemporary artists age 25 and over. Our programs are oriented to promote social consciousness, and artists are strongly encouraged to address social themes as part of their artistic goals for their residency project. As Arquetopia’s mission is to promote social transformation, understanding Mexico’s context, and specifically Oaxaca’s cultural complexity, is key for a successful cultural exchange. Since our approach is contemporary, we welcome artists from diverse disciplines (painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, installation, performance & time based work, etc.) who are interested in creating work with elements, techniques or processes that are specific to Mexico and/or unique to Oaxaca.

 

All proposals are welcome. Projects addressing social issues involving the community in the process of creating cutting-edge work with a nontraditional approach on traditional techniques will be given priority. Each residency is unique, based on the type of residency and the artist’s proposal. Residents are chosen on the basis of artistic merit and evaluation of the proposed project.

 

Some examples of techniques available (but not limited to):
• Drawing
• Painting
• Natural pigments (grana cochinilla and other pigments)
• Paper (papel amate)
• Graphic design

 

 

RESIDENCY PROGRAM GUIDELINES
• Selection decisions are based on artistic work. Candidates at all stages of their careers (emerging and established) must display a demonstrated sense of potential. The residency is for artists who want to advance their work.
• The residency pool is diverse in all aspects.
• The residency program is an opportunity for artists to pursue their own work (especially work that in their particular circumstances would normally be difficult to produce), free from daily pressures; however, there is an optional structure of critical study during the residency, such as studio visits, visiting artists, etc. Residents are encouraged to work with the visiting artist/critic program.
• The creation of community among fellow artists and staff during the residency period is important.

 

INCLUDED IN ARQUETOPIA OAXACA ARTIST RESIDENCIES
Comfortable Accommodation and Meals:
Residents enjoy spacious, comfortably furnished bedrooms (rooms feature main level or loft accommodation) with full-size beds and use of Arquetopia Oaxaca’s well-equipped residency space including wireless Internet, lounge with TV/DVD, kitchen, dining area, covered outdoor patio and terrace space, and private bathrooms with modern fixtures and showers. Housekeeping and most meals are also included.
Studio and Materials:
Roomy indoor and outdoor art studio are provided with personal work space, large tables, access to special facilities, tools, basic materials and supplies. In cases where a specific technique, space and/or materials are not available for a proposed project, our foundation will work with the artist and community on alternatives that will suit the work. Access to special facilities is also provided depending on the chosen technique.

 

RESIDENCY TIME PERIOD/TERM OFFERED
This Day of the Dead Special Artist Residency term is for 3 to 5 weeks, to start on or after Sunday, October 7, 2012 and end on or before Sunday, November 11, 2012.

RESIDENCY FEE
The fee per person is  USD $595  per week, for 3 to 5 weeks. Once accepted, applicants remit Total Residency Fee via bank wire transfer or PayPal to reserve residency space.  Payment of Total Residency Fee due within 5 days of selection notification.

 

APPLICATION DEADLINE SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2012.
Complete and submit together online/via e-mail to info@arquetopia.org all of the following:
1. The Arquetopia Artist-in-Residence Program Application (completed and scanned)
2. Resume or curriculum vitae
3. Five sample images of your artwork and a signed statement attesting that all works are your own
4. Complete contact info (name/title/organization/address/phone/e-mail) of two professional references
5. Non-refundable Application Fee of USD $35.00 via PAYPAL to account address: “fguevara@arquetopia.org”

 

Independent jury comprised of three curators and/or practicing artists who reflect independence, diversity in artistic fields, gender, race, etc. and knowledge of Arquetopia’s programs meets for in-person panel review and selection. Following selection, applicants are notified immediately via e-mail.

 

 

Please also see our Wooloo profile pages for Arquetopia and Arquetopia Oaxaca.

Arquetopia on the Web:  http://www.arquetopia.org">www.arquetopia.org

Arquetopia on Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/arquetopia">www.facebook.com/arquetopia

Arquetopia Oaxaca on Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/ArquetopiaOaxaca">www.facebook.com/ArquetopiaOaxaca