If museums cater to demographics — and some do — they’ll be collecting much more art from Latin American in the coming years. And we need to know more about the artists.
The Coleccion Patricia Phelps de Cisneros (and its foundation) is riding to the rescue, subsidizing the publication of a series of bilingual books called Conversaciones. Each volume consists of in-depth interviews, “some spanning decades,” with one modern or contemporary artist from Latin America. Art historians, critics and curators do the interviewing honors.
The first in the series, due in September, records conversations between Venezuelan artist Carlos Cruz-Diez (right) and the Coleccion’s chief curator, Ariel Jimenez. It will cost $25. I have a copy: it contains many illustrations (sample of his art, below). So that price is a bargain.
Coming in February, 2011, will be the Argentine painter Tomás Maldonado, in conversation with MarÃa Amalia GarcÃa, a researcher at the Universidad de Buenos Aires. It will include an introductory essay by Alejandro Gabriel Crispiani, of the Department of Architecture, Design, and Urban Studies at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile.
In May, 2011, comes Brazilian sculptor Jac Leirner in conversation with Adele Nelson, a doctoral candidate at New York University, with an introductory essay by Robert Storr, Dean of the Yale School of Art.
The books promise to delve into the artist’s mind — providing insight into the creative process. The interviewer was free to provide “critical reflections.”
The series will continue with books on Alfredo Jaar, Cildo Meireles, Antonieta Sosa, Luis Camnitzer, Liliana Porter, Gyula Kosice, and Waltercio Caldas.
For ages now, Cisneros has been spending her money increasing the visibility and prominence of Latin American art in other ways, too. She recently gave $1 million to Hunter College to establish a professorship in Latin American art there, and provide access to her collection, its archives, etc. She’s been showing her renowned collection in many venues.
Does she have too much influence? Probably, but no more than other big collectors.