FREEDOM IN THE FINE ARTS TEACHING

On the occasion of the arrest of the Chilean ex-dictator and life-senator Augusto Pinochet in London by a request of extradition by a Spanish judge, in memory of the repression of some mail artists during his regime and the ongoing situation of democracy under the ex-dictador´s tutelage with a constitution of military origins, Boek861 had the idea to send a manifesto wich was supported by hundreds of mail-artists and, later, resulted  the first mail art call from AUMA+Gom@ that has had an extraordinary answer: almost a thousand works by almost five hundred artists representing 30 countries were received.

As the theme of this exhibition dwells on freedom in the teaching of arts and the influence of authoritarian regimes on culture (focusing on the case of mail artist Humberto Nilo, fired from his teaching and directing positon at the school of Fine Arts in the University of Chile due to political intrigue)  the participation of students, Fine Arts teachers and mail artists across the world has been inmense.

After two years of activity, AUMA + Gom@ presents now the results of its first campaign and mail art call. Almost a thousand works had travelled around the world in a series of exhibitions under the motto Freedom in the Fine Arts Teaching.

This is a brief resume of the seven exhibitions that AUMA has organized after the mail art call.
 
 

EXHIBITIONS
 
 

TARRAGONA, SPAIN
 

Date:  March, 10 to 31, 1999.
Place:  Escola  d'Art i Disseny  / Diputació de Tarragona
Curator:  César Reglero, (AUMA)

Other activities:
Presentation: March, 10, 1.999:  AU MA / Taller del Sol / Matriz Grupal / STIDNA!
Events: Joan Simó (Minimalism) / Xer (Performance) / Taller del Sol (Performance)
 

BARCELONA, SPAIN
(Jornades artístiques i de reflexió.  Arte institucional / dictadura cultural)
Activity within the programme:  ACCIONS DE NIT
 

Date: October, 8 to 22, 1999
Place: Casal d'Associacions Juvenils de Barcelona / Consell de la Joventut  / Ajuntament de Barcelona. Ausiàs March, 60  /  08010-Barcelona
Curator:  Montse Fornós, (AUMA)

Other activities:
Presentation; October 8, 1.999:  AUMA, Matriz Grupal / STIDNA! / Merz Mail
Performances: Partisan d'amour  / Matriz Grupal / Joan casellas / Xavier Moreno / Xavier canals / STIDNA! / Merz Mail / Joan Simó / Xer / Taller del Sol / Sergi Quiñonero / A. Pastor

Internet Zone: during all the exhibition.

Round table: October, 22, 1999.  Theme:
-Micropowers, power relationships within the environment
-Influence of the power in education.

MONTEVIDEO, URUGUAY
 

Date: October 10 to 25, 1999.
Place:  Galería A E B U.
Curator:  Clemente Padín, (AUMA)

Other activities:
-Guided tours to participants in Trade Union Managing School.
-An edition of a booklet with documents about the action and exhibition, members of AUMA comments and list of participants.

SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO

Date: November, 2 to 23, 1999
Place:  Galería Liga de Arte de San Juan
Curator:   Elías Adasme, (AUMA)

BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA

Date: December, 28, 1999
Place: Barraca Vorticista
Curator:  Fernando García Delgado, (AUMA)
 

SANTIAGO DE CHILE (CHILE)

Date: April, 24 to 29, 2000
Place: Galería Enricco Bucci
Curator: Humberto Nilo (AUMA)

IQUIQUE (CHILE)

Date: September 5 to 12, 2000
Place: Biblioteca Central de la Universidad Arturo Prat
Curator: Humberto Nilo (AUMA)