FEATURE STORY

Arte Joven, a knowledge exchange for artists with a future

January 22, 2013


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Painting workshops led by Keiko Gonzalez and Guiomar Mesa taught contest winners key concepts and techniques.

Banco Mundial

STORY HIGHLIGHTS
  • The Arte Joven Context, co-sponsored by the World Bank in Bolivia, selected eight winners from a group of 340 contestants.
  • Winning artists in the categories of painting and sculpture were awarded the chance to participate in workshops led by renowned artists as well as cash prizes.
  • The winning works will be exhibited at the Outdoor Galley in El Alto.

The contest was a high point in the lives of the eight winners. Selected from 340 participants, they not only received cash prizes, but also participated in painting and sculpture workshops to improve their technical skills to further their artistic development.

Renowned Bolivian artists Keiko Gonzalez and Guiomar offered workshops over more than 20 days. They helped the winners to understand the importance of techniques and concepts in both painting and sculpture.

The master artists’ suggestions on contrast, composition, elimination of some elements and other pointers helped the young artists create more vibrant, visually attractive paintings. “The fact that they awarded us not only economically but also with the teachings of talented, generous artists like Guiomar and Keiko differentiates Arte Joven from other contests. They also want us to excel,” said painter Victoria Mamani, a contest winner.

Mamani received the prize for her painting “Páginas de la Historia de El Alto” [Pages in the history of El Alto].  The other winners in the painting category were Bertha Benitez, Miriam Espinoza and Salvador Pomar.

“Art is more than just a decorative object; it has to do with ways of perceiving and reformulating reality. Besides talent, these young people have the artistic sensibility to understand that. We immediately made a human connection; we worked together well,” said artist Guiomar Mesa.


" Art is more than just a decorative object; it has to do with ways of perceiving and reformulating reality. Besides talent, these young people have the artistic sensibility to understand that. We immediately made a human connection; we worked together well. "

Guiomar Mesa

Artist and instructor at the workshop for Arte Joven winners

The Contest

The Arte Joven contest was held in La Paz in July and August. Four works each were selected in the painting and sculpture categories. The eight winning works are being reproduced on a large scale. Paintings will measure up to 2.5 meters wide by 2 meters high whereas sculptures will stand 1 meter high.

All the artworks will be exhibited at the open air gallery being built in the City of El Alto, one of the poorest areas of La Paz Department.

Faris Hadad-Zervos, World Bank representative in Bolivia said: “We want this contest to go beyond simple prizes, which are of course important; we want to leave something of value. What could be better than artworks for a place that needs them?”

The contest was sponsored by the Municipal Government of El Alto, the 13 Company and the World Bank in Bolivia.


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