XV EDITION / APRIL 2024

AAMM / AMBOS MUNDOS Arte Actual invites to apply for the 15th edition of the Epecuén Art Residence, a program aimed at interdisciplinary projects linked to the territory for production and reflection. 
The residency will take place in April 2024 on the shores of Lake Epecuén.

AAMM organizes this residency for artists, curators, and researchers with the aim of providing a creative and reflective space for the production and development of work within the framework of the ruins of Epecuén. We propose an experience in a rural setting, where dialogue between colleagues in territory is promoted through research and creative experience.

We propose residents work around the context and consequently contribute to its enhancement. The objective of this residency is that participants engage in this experience through field research and multidisciplinary artistic processes, finding in group coexistence the possibility of generating exchange through debates and the stimulation of critical thinking.

We are convinced that the coexistence between artists, curators, intellectuals, and their relationship with the territory and society not only enhances historical, social, cultural, environmental, and tourist heritage but also contemporary artistic practice. While the residency provides a space for reflection for artists, it is also a platform that encompasses interdisciplinary approaches and the intersections between individual, collective, anthropological, historical, and social poetics.

Where are we?

The residency is located in the City of Carhué, Adolfo Alsina Partido, Buenos Aires, Argentina, in the vicinity of Laguna Epecuén. «Villa Lago Epecuén» is the name of a ruined Argentine tourist town. The thermal waters of Laguna Epecuén have a high level of salinity, higher than that of the Dead Sea, which generated a growing tourist and medicinal interest in the area since the beginning of 20th Century.  In 1985, a flood caused by a lake overflow and political negligence submerged the entire city underwater, leading to its complete evacuation. After twenty years, the water began to recede, revealing the ruins of the city, which have become a focal point of interest and tourist attraction themselves. The area has been declared a Historical Heritage site due to the magnitude of the events and for hosting the remains of constructions by architect Francisco Salamone, such as the Slaughterhouse and other buildings from the modernist era of Argentina.

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

Open Call: Until February 1st, 2024 / Next Residency: April 2024 (14 days)

We invite researchers, artists, curators, and national/international collectives who address their work in relation to art and territory.

Interested individuals must submit a project to be developed during the art residency that involves and/or considers the context of the Epecuén Lagoon (historical, geographical, social, environmental, cultural, etc.)

Residencia Epecuén offers an open program to work with ephemeral art, site-specific interventions, performance, sound art, photography, video, research projects, sculpture, ceramics, drawing, painting, writing, and other mediums related to the field of contemporary art.

The proposed artworks and projects to be developed on-site must preserve the historical sites and, under no circumstances cause damage or alter the cultural or natural heritage of those sites.

This call is to participate in the Residency that will take place during October 2023. We also welcome applications for future editions (April/October 2024).
To apply, you must be over 18 years old and have research and/or artistic production interests that engage with the environment.

What does the program include?

Artists are invited to work on their personal projects and follow a specific schedule for fieldwork guided by the curatorial and production team of Ambos Mundos: Eduardo M. Saubidet, María Villanueva, and María Bressanello. The program include:

CURATORIAL SUPPORT
A curator will be selected for each edition to work in relation to the residents’ proposals, providing a critical and constructive perspective, accompanying the creative process and exhibition. 

PROJECT SUPPORT
The Residencia Epecuén team will follow-up and provide support to each participant developing their projects, collaborating in their process and bringing connection with the Carhué community. Feedback and reflection sessions called «ESTADO DE LA CUESTIÓN» (STATE OF THE MATTER) will be held between artists and the residency coordinators, with the aim of enriching critical thinking and fostering artistic production. During these sessions, artists are invited to present their  portfolios and the work to be developed in residence. 

CERAMICS WORKSHOP
Ceramics workshops will be held in collaboration with the Carhué community. The created pieces will be wood-fired in the town’s communal kiln.

GUIDED VISITS
Guided visits to culturally and historically significant places will be organized, such as the ruins of Epecuén, the White Forest, the Historical Museum, the Model Slaughterhouse designed by architect Francisco Salamone, and the Carhué Cemetery. These visits aim to provide context to the artists’ work within the region’s historical, cultural, and natural environment.

OPEN LANDSCAPE EXHIBITION
An open exhibition will take place at the Epecuén Ruins and at the Casa de la Cultura de Adolfo Alsina, open to the entire community and visitors to the site. The goal is to exchange creative processes and provide a framework for the artworks produced.

AUDIOVISUAL RECORDS
Video and photographic documentation will be made of the processes and artworks created during the residency, which will become part of the residency’s archive and be used for promotion in future exhibition opportunities, such as museums, fairs, and exhibitions.

DISSEMINATION
The residency will be promoted through social media, the residency’s website, and press releases to showcase the work of the participating artists.

ARCHIVE
The works created in each edition contribute to and form part of the residency’s archive. This archive is used for the presentation, dissemination, and promotion of the project in the context of exhibition opportunities provided by museums, fairs, and cultural entities.

ACCOMMODATION
Accommodation will be provided in a house with independent rooms, shared bathrooms and kitchen, and workspace for the residents.

INSURANCE
The residency includes occupational hazard insurance for participating artists.

The Epecuén Residency program is produced by AAMM / Ambos Mundos Arte Actual, an independent organization interested in creating networks between national and international artists and researchers. We encourage and support all participants interested in seeking public or private financial support (foundations, galleries, companies, etc.) and/or institutional aid to cover the participation fee. We endorse and provide invitation letters or any necessary material to collaborate in the fund management process.

INTERNATIONAL FEE: USD 1300
Includes round-trip bus transportation from Buenos Aires C.A.BA to Carhué.
*The fees specified do not include meals during the program
*The fee does not cover materials for individual productions.

ÑANDÚ  CURATOR SCHOLARSHIP 2024
The XIV EDITION includes the possibility of 1 scholarship for a national or international curator who wants to carry out a practice in Epecuén, working together with residents.
*The scholarship does not include meals for the residents during the program.
*It does not cover transportation expenses to Carhué.

Residencia Epecuén Teamencourage all applicants interested in participating in the program to do so. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE THE POSSIBILITY TO PAY THE FULL FEE, WE SUGGEST THAT YOU APPLY ANYWAY. As an organization, we do our best to support the process of applying for funds from public and/or private entities to finance your participation in the Residency program ( Foundations, Galleries, Companies, Embassy Connections, NGOs, etc.). We have invitation letters and necessary documentation available to present to whoever is required. If you have any questions, write to us at residenciaepecuen@gmail.com or via WhatsApp.

OUR COMMUNICATION CHANNELS ARE OPEN ALL YEAR.  IF YOU HAVE DOUBTS, NEED INFORMATION, OR DOCUMENTATION TO SUBMIT TO ANY ENTITY IN ADVANCE, PLEASE CONTACT US.

APPLICATION SUBMISSION HERE (Until August 1st )
*Applications from interested individuals for the April/October 2024 editions will be considered. If applicable, please mention it in your letter of intent.

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+INFO

IG: @residenciaepecuen_aamm
WEB: www.residenciaepecuen.com.ar
MAIL: residenciaepecuen@gmail.com