Phoenix Artists Can Do a Residency in Guadalajara This Summer
Artists from La Phoenikera have the incredible opportunity to do a six-week residency in Guadalajara this summer. The arts organization Celebración Artística de las Américas (CALA) is offering this in partnership with Programa Anual de Open Studios Guadalajara (PAOS GDL), the organization housing the selected Phoenix artist.
“PAOS GDL is doing amazing work. They have residencies all year long open to artists from different parts of the world,” says Casandra Hernandez, curator and director of CALA. “Their space is the former home and studio of Mexican muralist José Clemente Orozco.” Imagine living and working for six weeks in the place where one of Mexico’s most important modern artists thought up his revolutionary murals! I’d die.
PAOS GDL, home and studio of José Clemente Orozco. Photo by Revista Código.
The program wants to give artists opportunities to grow their practice, experiment with new approaches, and investigate the culture they’ll be living in (including tortas ahogadas, carne en su jugo, or las cazuelas de tequila). If you’re an artist whose medium is painting, sculpture, photography, film, new media, installation, video, performance art, interdisciplinary arts, or social practice, this exchange program is for you.
CALA chose to do this with an organization in Guadalajara and not any other city in Mexico because, in their view, there are interesting parallels between Guanatos and La Phoenikera. Both cities are visited by people en route to L.aLa Land or el DFectuoso, and their cultural scene is relatively new. “They are vast cities with a strong presence, and at this point, there are efforts to show that interesting and innovative things come out of them, too,” says Casandra.
So here’s how it works if you want to have a shot at it. The deadline to apply is 11:59 p.m. on April 10. CALA then chooses three to five finalists; ultimately, PAOS picks THE CHOSEN ONE. You’ll hear in early May if that’s you, and if it is, you’ll be living in La Perla Tapatía through June and July.
“Right now, this is the only program dedicated exclusively to supporting Latinx artists from Phoenix to do residencies abroad,” says Casandra. For CALA, “because of the political and social context, it’s important to create platforms for the exchange of ideas and to enforce ties in Mexico.” While some create walls, others create bridges.
So get on it, Phoenikera creatives! This is a pretty unique opportunity. You can apply for the residency here.
