Hola from the heart of Chiapas: San Cristóbal.

SAN CRISTOBAL
Mixing of cultures in the barrios, streets and cafes of San Cristóbal gives rise to a multiplicity of artistic possibilities, a blending and merging of creative processes, an acceptance of the new and an openness to all who care to explore their creative self.

San Cristóbal’s heart needs some inspiration; it needs art that is cutting edge, art that is performance, installation and conceptual: A wave to the past and a salute to the new.

After simmering for decades San Cristóbal is ripe for an artist movement, a centering of artistic pursuits and as an experimentation in mixing of cultures.

WHO WE ARE
Galería Studio Cerrillo has been exhibiting fine art since 2002 with over 50 month long exhibits. We have also shown alternative art for several years. The gallery is located in one of the original barrios, Cerrillo, in San Cristóbal on a small side street. Galería Studio Cerrillo was started after the closing of the long running, La Galería, as there was no other gallery dedicated solely to exhibiting the fine arts. For six years the gallery has been the stalwart exhibition space pushing the artistic edge and allowing various creative inspirations to motivate and educate both artists and the general public. There is a positive change in San Cristóbal; a new gallery, Galería Albertina, opened in December 2008 dedicated to photography and, Museo Galería Elisa Burkhard opened in November 2008, dedicated to the contemporary art of San Cristóbal and Chiapas. There are other locations to exhibit in San Cristóbal; museums, Ex convento Sto. Domingo, Museo de Culturas Populares, cultural centers Kinoki, Fundación Mario Uvence, Centro Cultural El Carmen, Na Bolom and alternative venues, Casa Blues, city walls, cafes and restaurants; all adding to a rich cultural melody of art and play, insight and design, junk and treasure.

Commencing in 2009 Studio Cerrillo plans to offer a year of performance, conceptual and installation art. We tried to acquire funding from a Chiapas governmental agency, for 2008/2009 but we failed in our efforts. Even with this lack of outside funding we have decided to advance the idea by sponsoring a year of alternative art commencing in Feb 2009 and running till December 2009. We have two shows booked, BLUE ICE by Bulgarian installation artist, Zteid Giarc, in March and Queen June Iris brings her performance and installation to Galería Studio Cerrillo in June.

IDEA
We are seeking an original concept created for our gallery which is 4.6 x 4.6 x 3.2 meters, 15 linear meters of exhibition space, a small back patio, and the street which is easily closed for the day and night of the inauguration, thus allowing the connected spaces to serve as an excellent venue for the artist.

THEME
“That which goes up, generally must come down.”

REQUIREMENTS
Projects submitted for this year of alternative art need to be performance, installation or conceptual to be considered. We are specifically seeking original works that are designed for specifically for our space. We want ideas that pushes the edge of each individual artist and the audience. Whether MODERN, SEXUAL, SATIRICAL, REACTIONARY, POLITICAL or PROHIBITED, we want each artist to explore the outer edge, to create a new work and to have fun.

STYLES OF ART

PERFORMANCE
Performance art is art in which the actions of an individual or a group at a particular place and in a particular time constitute the work. It can happen anywhere, at any time, or for any length of time. Performance art can be any situation that involves four basic elements: time, space, the performer's body and a relationship between performer and audience.¹

The gallery would like to have two performances a month by different artists, a total of 8 shows for the year. The performances should be brief, 8 to 14 minutes thus allowing two shows a night; ideally the shows can be different.

CONCEPTUAL AND INSTALLATION
Conceptual art is art in which the concept(s) or idea(s) involved in the work take precedence over traditional aesthetic and material concerns …conceptual art is an art which questions the very nature of what is understood as art
—Tony Godfrey²

Installation ... uses sculptural materials and other media to modify the way a particular space is experienced. Installation art is not necessarily confined to gallery spaces and can be any material intervention in everyday public or private spaces, Some installations are site-specific in that they are designed to only exist in the space for which they were created.³

We will accept proposals based on clarity and strength of the artist’s presentation. Each show will run for three weeks.

COMMITMENT BY ARTIST
Beyond production of the exhibit we are asking each artist to do a brief, hour or so, class on whatever subject is selected by the artist, the day before or after the opening. The audience will be students, admirers and the general public. We support this idea as it brings increased attention to each exhibit and helps to expands the visual vocabulary of the local population.

COMMITMENT OF THE GALLERY
Galería Studio Cerrillo will support the exhibition by opening our creative space, promote the show through local media, produce invitations and the opening and offer a place to stay for three to four nights and some meals. We can confidently offer our six years of experience producing shows from the basic to the sublimely complicated. As a promoter of monthly shows we can utilize this experience to assist each artist to fulfill their projects. Art shown in Galería Studio Cerrillo can be a vehicle to communicate and to inspire, to push others to create their own unique visual point of view and perhaps be the catalyst for a movement Chiapanecan.

We sincerely hope that you consider our offer to exhibit in galeria Studio Cerrillo during this year to explore the art world fringe. Please contact us with any questions, suggestions or commentary.

Thanks,
Cisco
Director
g S c

¹http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Performance_art
²http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conceptual_art
³http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Installation_art