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Three new artists are here in Casa de Campo! Nastasia Meyrat, Yan Xing, and Claire Trotignon were introduced to the Casa de Campo community on January 24th as the new artists in residence of the Davidoff Art Initiative 2017. The presentation took place in the Davidoff Art Studios were the community and students of the Altos de Chavón School of Design were able to meet and greet the artists and learn more of what they do.
While waiting for the presentation to start, we got a chance to meet some Dominican artists who have been a part of the program, like Fermín Ceballos who traveled to Berlin last year from April – June of 2016. He shared with us his experience, and stated that what he cherished most was his new ideas and thoughts that emerged from the location.
This is precisely what the Davidoff Art Initiative offers for its artists. The Initiative helps artists meet others around the world and have a dialog on an international scale. The program develops artists by providing opportunities to further their work and gain contacts while being immersed in another cultural environment. It is an ideal exchange for those selected to study overseas, and international artists from various regions are offered a three-month residency here in Altos de Chavón.
The presentation began with some words by Stephen Kaplan, rector of the school, who welcomed everyone and introduced András Szántó — New York-based, Budapest-born writer, researcher, and Chief Consultant to the Davidoff Art Initiative. He introduced each of the artists, and spoke on the program. Nastasia, Yan, and Claire will be here from January 23rd to April 3rd, and in the discussion presented a slideshow of their work, explaining how they worked and their inspirations.
Nastasia Meyrat explained that the topics that inspire her, which she explores through different techniques and approaches are immaturity, utopia, and domesticity. Stating that the immature figure that uses irony and ruse is important to her own position in art. Her desire is for her work to give rise to discussions and exchanges.
Claire Trotignon showed us how passionate she is about her work — she creates collages by using fragments cut from engravings or prints of her own drawings. She stated that her imaginary territories do not follow any scenography or linear narration: pre-renaissance architectures stand alongside contemporary buildings, which sometimes overlook small islands of landscape or take the form of scattered and floating particles on paper. She explained her work as deconstructing classicism and its architectonic.
Yan Xing was the last artist to speak, who showed everyone how entertaining and friendly he is! His work reflects his personality, and takes the form of “Projects” wherein he incorporates a rich variety of media, such as performance, video, photography, and installation. He explained that he is a writer as well and each of his projects have a story behind them. He conducts thorough research and meticulously studies all aspects of his upcoming work.
We look forward to watching each new artist in residence enjoy their stay and achieve a new vision and perspective, sharing it with the Casa community.
The following photos were taken January 24th, 2017 in the Davidoff Art Studios in Altos de Chavón by Alfredo Esteban:
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The Davidoff Art Initiative in collaboration with the Altos de Chavón School of Design has just announced the next group of artists who will participate in the Davidoff International Art Residency at the facilities in Altos de Chavón, Casa de Campo, from January 23rd to April 3, 2017. Continue reading here.
ABOUT THE DAVIDOFF ART INITIATIVE RESIDENCY
The centerpiece of the Davidoff Art Initiative is the Davidoff Art Residency.
Each year, the Davidoff Art Residency offers residency positions for Caribbean artists who participate in five artist-residency programs worldwide, as well as for approximately five artists from outside the Caribbean region who spend three months in the Dominican Republic. A limited number of positions are also reserved for curators and writers working on projects of relevance to Caribbean art.
Artist residency programs help working artists develop their skills, make connections within global networks, earn exposure for their work, and share their expertise with others. In offering emerging and mid-career artists an opportunity to spend an extended period of time working in a different social and creative environment from their own, the Davidoff Art Residency serves as a conduit for professional mobility, cultural immersion, and creative exchange.