January 18–April 5, 2015
Davidoff Art Initiative
Altos de Chavón School of Design
La Romana
Dominican Republic
www.davidoffartinitiative.com
#DavidoffArts
The Davidoff Art Initiative, in collaboration with Altos de Chavón School of Design, has announced the first five international artists who will participate in the Davidoff International Art Residency at the newly built residency facilities at Altos de Chavón School of Design, in La Romana, Dominican Republic, from January 18 to April 5.
This is a major and defining step for the Davidoff Art Initiative, which has already supported Dominican and Caribbean artists since 2013 by providing opportunities for them to take part in renowned residency programs in New York City, Berlin, and Beijing. Now, rounding out the global initiative into a fully two-way cultural exchange, Davidoff is launching its first residency for international artists visiting the Dominican Republic.
Nominated by a global network of art professionals and selected by the Davidoff International Advisory Council, the five artists in the inaugural group represent a diverse range of artistic practices and backgrounds. They are deeply interested in engaging with the social and cultural fabric of the Dominican Republic.
The five artists are: Alia Farid (b. 1985, Kuwait/Puerto Rico), Nuria Montiel (b. 1982, Mexico City), Cathleen Mooses (b. 1982, Chicago), Mathilde Rosier (b. 1973, Paris), and Soledad Salamé (b. 1954, Santiago, Chile). In addition to pursuing their own artists works during the residency, the artists will have many opportunities to engage with the Dominican cultural community, as well as with students and residents of Altos de Chavón and the surrounding region.
The Davidoff International Art Residency hosts emerging and mid-career artists for a period of ten weeks. They will work new, custom-built artist studios designed by Adolfo Despradel, Director of Planning and Design, Costasur Dominicana S.A. at Altos de Chavón School of Design, the country’s leading institution for art and design education. A graduate of Altos de Chavon, Adolfo Despradel has previously worked in the architectural firm of David Chipperfield in London.
The nominators for the 2015 Davidoff International Art Residency Program were Aaron Cézar, founding Director of Delfina Foundation in London; Amanda Coulson, co-founder/Executive Director of VOLTA and Director of the National Gallery of the Bahamas; Charles Desmarais, President of the San Francisco Art Institute; Mareike Dittmer, co-publisher of Frieze d/e and publishing consultant of Frieze Magazine; Pablo Helguera, Director of adult and academic programs in the Department of Education at the Museum of Modern Art, New York; Irene Hofmann, the Phillips Director and Chief Curator of SITE Santa Fe; and Philip Tinari, Director of the Ullens Center for Contemporary Art in Beijing.
Final decisions were made by Davidoff’s International Advisory Council, which includes Rocío Aranda-Alvarado, associate curator of El Museo del Barrio, New York; Dominique Bluhdorn, President of the Altos de Chavón Cultural Center Foundation, Dominican Republic; Sara Hermann, Dominican art historian, curator and founder of the creative collaboration agency Estudio de Sur; Andras Szántó,New York-based, Budapest-born writer, researcher and Chief Consultant to the Davidoff Art Initiative; Pablo Léon de la Barra,UBS MAP Curator, Latin America, Guggenheim Museum;and Hans-Kristian Hoejsgaard, Chief Executive Officer and Member of the Board of Oettinger Davidoff AG.
About Altos de Chavón School of Design
The Altos de ChavónSchool of Design is a study center of global impact, a pioneer in the teaching of art and design in the Dominican Republic. Founded in 1983 to meet the growing commercial and industrial demands of the Dominican Republic, the School offers degree programs in all areas of art and design in formats long and short duration: Graphic Design, Fashion Design, Fine Art, Illustration, Digital Design, Interior Design, Photography, Film Production and Architecture. For more information, please visit our website.
About the Davidoff Art Initiative
The Davidoff Art Initiative supports contemporary art and artists in the Caribbean, strengthens art organizations in the Dominican Republic, shares knowledge and expertise about contemporary art and fosters cultural engagement between the Caribbean and the rest of the world.
At the core of the Art Initiative, Davidoff aims to engage closely with the arts and culture of the Dominican Republic cultural community, where much of its production and so many of its employees are based, bring opportunity and visibility to the art and culture of the Caribbean region, extending the company’s long-standing commitment to artistry, craftsmanship, community and quality.
The Davidoff Art Initiative’s four global program areas are the Davidoff Art Residency, Davidoff Art Dialogues, Davidoff Art Grants, and Davidoff Art Editions. For more information, please visit our website.
Media contacts
For further information, images, or to arrange an interview, members of the media may contact:
Blue Medium, Inc.
Rachel Patall-David: [email protected]
Pamela Hernandez: [email protected]
T +1 212 675 1800
Oettinger Davidoff AG
Paloma Szathmáry, SVP Corporate Communications: [email protected]
Albertine Kopp, Manager Davidoff Art Initiative: [email protected]
T +41 61 279 36 12
