The IMIF has started an art program for children in remote areas of the Bolivian Andes. This art project has been sponsored by the well known Nova Scotian artist Joy Laking.
The Bolivia Art Project is focused on a partnership with the Academia Nacional de Bellas Artes, the most important art school in Bolivia. The aim of the project is to develop a credit program for their senior students. The credit is earned by the selected students doing two months internship teaching art to children in remote rural schools in the Bolivian Andes. We feel that this program exposes the children to motivated young artists who may become role models to these children and stimulate their activity. We hope that this program provides a fertile ground to grow the seeds for the future artists of Bolivia. The costs of travel, accommodations and all the necessary art supplies are covered by this project.
The first senior student of the Bolivian Art Academy is Lucy Velasco worked with 100 children that have never been exposed to art in the village of Aucapata. The children learned the basic techniques of watercolor, oil and acrylic painting. They have also started to use materials abundant in their community such as clay and natural pigments for sculpture and ceramics. At the end of her 2 month internship Lucy organized an exhibition of the work of the children in the community of Aucapata. All the art materials were then donated to the children so they can continue to develop their interest in art.
In partnership with the National Academy of Fine Arts (ANBA), the Ivar Mendez International Foundation has sponsored the 7th annual competition for Bolivian art students, Salón Anba 2011. With 82 artistic entries, this year the competition was held at national level, involving works produced by art students from several artistic training schools, such as the Public University of El Alto (UPEA), the Municipal School of Art of El Alto, the School of Fine Tarija Arts, the School of Visual Arts in Cochabamba, Arts Career Tomas Frias University in Potosi, the Higher Institute of Fine Arts in Oruro, the Institute of Fine Arts Beni Beni and, of course, the ANBA of the city of La Paz. The competition already has its winners, three first places and five honourable mentions. The awards ceremony and the official opening of the exhibition was held on Thursday, October 20th, 2011.
The 2012 SALON ANBA, an art contest sponsored by the IMIF, was open to students from all the art schools in Bolivia. This is the 6th year that the IMIF supports this contest and exhibition.
The philosophy of our Foundation is based on the fundamental concept that talent and intelligence are attributes common to all human beings, regardless of their geographic location or economic circumstances. It is the opportunity or the lack of it that determines the ability develop our human potential.
We seek to encourage the formation of new generations of artists in Bolivia. we also want to use art to stimulate creative thinking in children from rural communities that have no access to art supplies or teaching. We believe that establishing a platform for the development of creative thinking in children in remote communities will help them to achieve their human potential and become agents of change and prosperity in their own communities.
The quality of entries received for this year continues to rise and the enthusiastic response of participants nationwide fills us with optimism. The jury's of the 2012 SALON ANBA consists of five renowned artists of national and international stature who validated the selection process of the winners. Critical judgment of artists of excellence is an important contribution to the formation of the new generation of Bolivian artists.