Miguel A. Lopez, a writer, researcher, and Chief Curator of TEOR/éTica in San Jose, Costa Rica, and Co-founder or Bisagra in Lima, Perú, will receive the 2016 Independent Vision Curatorial Award. Lopez was selected by by Franklin Sirmans, Director of the Pérez Art Museum Miami, from 12 curators nominated by international art professionals in ICI's network.
Of the selection, Mr. Sirmans noted: “As to be expected from ICI, all of the nominees come from a range of diverse backgrounds, experiences and places, intellectually and geographically; they are all working on special projects that will move forward the conversation on the history of art while disrupting the contemporary moment. Based on the strengths of exhibitions, research and writing in the last two years, Miguel A. Lopez’s work stands out. He is an important young voice whose past projects suggest a brilliant future.”
Miguel A. Lopez is a writer, researcher, and Chief Curator of TEOR/éTica in San Jose, Costa Rica. Through his work, he investigates collaborative dynamics and transformations in cultural engagement with politics in Latin America in recent decades; and focuses on feminist and queer re-articulations of history from a Southern Hemisphere perspective.
“Lopez’s vital ability to go back and forth between a variety of exhibitions as a curator (and co-curator) between important monographic shows (Teresa Burga, Patricia Belli) and more speculative presentations of works in thematically driven group shows (A Kingdom of Hours, Read My Lips) is remarkable,” added Mr. Sirmans.
Lopez is also a founding member of the Red Conceptualismos del Sur, an international platform active since 2007 that seeks different possibilities in writing, archiving, thinking, positioning, exhibiting and politically historicizing the artistic-political practices that have taken place in Latin America since 1960s. Since 2012 he has been part of the curatorial team of Contemporary Art Acquisitions Committee at the Lima Art Museum. He is a founding member of Bisagra, a contemporary art platform active since 2014 in Lima, which is focused on developing experimental public programs and other formats for exhibition making.
ABOUT THE AWARD
Established in 2010 as an initiative of the Gerrit Lansing Education Fund, the Independent Vision Curatorial Award reflects ICI’s commitment to supporting international curators early in their careers. Selected from international nominations, it is given every two years to a curator who has shown exceptional creativity and prescience in exhibition-making, research, and related writing. The Award, including a $3,000 stipend towards a new project, offers support in developing independent practice and research through ICI. It is one of very few awards in the world to recognize rising curatorial talent.
Past recipients of the award are Doryun Chong (2010), Chief Curator at M+, Hong Kong; Nav Haq (2012), recently appointed curator of the 2017 Göteborg International Biennial for Contemporary Art, & Jay Sanders (2012), Curator and Curator of Performance at the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York – both selected for the Award by Hans Ulrich Obrist; and Eva Barois De Caevel (2014), an independent curator who earlier this year collaborated on the 37th EVA International, Ireland Biennial of Contemporary Art, Limerick, selected by Nancy Spector.
