July 1–August 23, 2019
SOMA Summer is an eight-week international program in Mexico City for artists, curators, art historians, and other creative producers. The program is built around a specific topic each year, led by renowned Mexican and international artists, curators, and researchers. Participants have the opportunity to be involved in a comprehensive series of seminars, workshops, individual critiques, and studio and site visits, which will help them analyze their work and define the contours of their creative practices. The group of thirty artists will also collaborate in a self-organized publication as a conclusion to their thoughts and experiences throughout the summer.
SOMA Summer 2019: scaffolding
Every year, SOMA Summer focusses on a different concept or topic. In 2019, SOMA Summer will depart from the term “scaffolding” as a framework to study visible and invisible supporting structures (such as language and form), and as a means to better understand the roles of power, hierarchy, and surface in everyday practice. The transformative possibilities implicit in the use of scaffoldings (in construction, for instance) will lead us to address notions of decay, conservation, and gentrification.
Applications
–All applications should be completed via SOMA’s website. Apply here.
–Résumé
–Artist’s statement
–Letter of interest
–Portfolio
–Contact information for 3 references
Financial support
SOMA is a small non-profit organization and, unfortunately, cannot provide full-tuition scholarships for the summer participants. Partial financial support is available based on portfolio review, statement, and proof of financial need. SOMA is also partnered with several universities and institutions in order to help support participants with their tuition and/or accommodations. You can find more information here.
Activities
Lectures, seminars, and workshops: Eduardo Abaroa (artist, Mexico), Bjarki Bragason (artist, Iceland), Amy Sara Carroll (artist and writer, United States), Eulogio Guzmán (archeologist, Mexico), Yaiza Hernández (theorist, Spain), Sara Nadal-Melsió (writer, Spain), Ester Partegàs (artist, Spain), and Angel Nevarez and Valerie Tevere (artists, United States)
Studio visits: Camel Collective (art collective, Mexico/United States), Plinio Avila (artist, Mexico), Marianna Dellekamp (artist, Mexico), Yoshua Okón (artist, Mexico), and Jorge Méndez Blake (artist, Mexico), Stephan Pascher (artist, United States), and Luis Vargas (art historian, Mexico)
Individual critiques: Tania Candiani (artist, Mexico), Emilio Chapela (artist, Mexico), Giacomo Castagnola (artist, Peru), Marcos Castro (artist, Mexico), Tatiana Cuevas (curator, Mexico), Helena Chávez (art historian, Mexico), Mariana David (curator, Mexico), Irving Domínguez (curator, Mexico), Ricardo Domínguez (artist, United States), Diego Flores Magón (curator, Mexico) Julio García-Murillo (curator, Mexico), Magnolia de la Garza (curator, Mexico), Mauro Giaconi (artist, Argentina), Edgar Hernández (writer, Mexico), Graciela Kasep (curator, Mexico), Esteban King Álvarez (curator, Mexico), Alejandra Labastida (curator, Mexico), Chip Lord (artist, United States), Catalina Lozano (curator, Colombia), Caroline Montenat (curator, France), Manuela Moscoso (curator, Ecuador), Josefa Ortega (curator, Mexico), Victor Palacios (curator, Mexico), Bárbara Perea (curator, Mexico), and Itala Schmelz (curator, Mexico)
Site visits: Archivo General de la Nación, Casa del Hijo del Ahuizote, Museo de Atropología e Historia, Museo Nacional de las Intervenciones, Obra en Obra, Obrera Centro, Panik, Proyector, Templo Mayor, and most relevant museums and independents art spaces in Mexico City.
Mentorship
Advisers: Anthony Graves (artist, United States), Carla Herrera-Prats (artist, Mexico), and Sara Nadal-Melsió (writer, Spain)
Mentors: Ricardo Alzati (artist, Mexico), Virginia Colwell (artist, United States), Nate Harrison (artist, United States), Fabiola Iza (curator, Mexico), Patrick Killoran (artist, United States), and Joaquín Segura (artist, Mexico)
About SOMA
SOMA is an experimental pedagogical project launched in 2009, conceived as a platform for reconsideration and reflection. Students and participants have the opportunity to critically analyze their proposals; revisiting creative processes is encouraged. For the past ten years, SOMA has provided a counterpoint to the dynamics of art schools, museums, and galleries. SOMA Summer has become a leading international program with 180 participants from 41 nationalities, and the participation of 307 mentors/guests.
SOMA Summer 2019 is organized by Carla Herrera-Prats and Sara Nadal-Melsió, and is coordinated by Andrea Núñez.
