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Riffe Gallery to Highlight Work of Chilean Artists
by Shane Cartmill
 The Ohio Arts Council’s Riffe Gallery presents an exhibition highlighting the creative freedom and diversity of Chilean artists. Land of Latitudes: Contemporary Art From Chile is on display now through Sunday, July 10, 2005. The exhibition, curated by Sara Johnson, director of visual arts at the Southern Ohio Museum and Cultural Center, and Betty Talbott, director of the Ohio Craft Museum, will feature the work of 51 artists living in the South American nation.
Land of Latitudes confirms Chile’s international reputation in printmaking and ceramic work, but also exhibits how the nation’s artists take full advantage of every conceivable option and freedom in pursuit of personal creativity. Chilean artists operate outside the narrow specializations often practiced by North American artists. Many simultaneously explore painting, printmaking and sculpture, experimenting with materials, techniques, styles and approaches. The power of Chile’s landscape is one of the threads uniting the exhibition’s diversity of work. Other influences include Chile’s literary figures, its indigenous cultures and its political history.
The curators note the climate for artistic production seems as exhilarating as the landscape of Chile. Cooperation and collaboration are everywhere as artists write essays for each other’s catalogs, share their work with different galleries and veer off in new directions at Taller 99, a printmaking studio, or Huara Huara, a ceramic studio.
Land of Latitudes exhibits work by noted Chilean artists, including: Elisa Aguirre, Tatiana Alamos, Carlos Ampuero, Samy Benmayor, Roser Bru, Santos Chavez, Gonzalo Cienfuegos, Patricio de la O, Pablo Dominguez, Inge Dusi, Mario Gómez, Isabel Izquierdo, Benjamin Lira, Hugo Marín, Ximena Medina, Lise Moller, Rafael Munita, Rodolfo Opazo, Nevenka Pavic, Cristián Salisneros, Margarita Smith, Patricia Velasco, Monique Verdu and Paola Vezzani. An additional 27 atists participated in the printmaking project, Children’s Games.
Since 1989, the Ohio Arts Council has taken an active role in creating an international network of peers for Ohio’s artists and arts institutions through its International Program activities. “Partnerships and cultural exchanges which foster innovative ideas for current and future endeavors are important for both individuals and organizations,” says Wayne P. Lawson, executive director of the Ohio Arts Council. “This partnership is based on the belief that arts and culture play crucial roles in understanding and having respect for one another.”
Three events will be held in conjunction with this exhibition; all are free and open to the public:
On Tuesday, May 10, from 7 - 8 p.m., the Riffe Gallery will present The Readings of Pablo Neruda featuring Pedro Sánchez. The free event will be held at Columbus Metropolitan Library Auditorium at 96 S. Grant Avenue. Chilean Pedro Sánchez presents an hour-long Spanish language program celebrating the life of the South American writer, ambassador and Nobel Prize winner. For reservations, e-mail shane.cartmill@oac.state.oh.us or call 614/387-5670.
On Thursday, May 12, from 5 - 7 p.m., the Riffe Gallery will host a free public opening reception.
A free exhibition tour with curators Sara Johnson and Betty Talbott will be offered on Friday, May 13, from 12 – 1 p.m. They highlight the diversity of work included Land of Latitudes and explore Chile’s geography, indigenous culture and political history as unique influences upon the artists’ work.
The Riffe Gallery will offer children and their adult companions an opportunity to create their own stamp inspired by the ancient petroglyphs of Chile on Sunday, May 15, from 2 – 4 p.m. The rubber stamp petroglyph will be used to embellish a canvas travel bag. Land of Latitudes family day is a collaboration with Ohio Craft Museum and is sponsored by The Ohio State University Center for Latin American Studies. Materials will be provided. The event is recommended for children 5 and older. For reservations, e-mail mary.gray@oac.state.oh.us or call 614/728-2239.
The Riffe Gallery will offer free group tours Tuesday through Friday throughout the run of the exhibition. To schedule a group tour contact Riffe Gallery Director Mary Gray at mary.gray@oac.state.oh.us or 614/728-2239.
The Somali Diaspora also will be on view at the Vern Riffe Center for Government and Arts May 19 – July 1, 2005. A unique collection of photographs by Abdi Roble, this exhibition captures an important transition in the cultural history of the Somali community of Central Ohio. A public reception will be held Thursday, May 19 from 5-7 p.m. in the lobby outside the Ohio Arts Council’s Riffe Gallery. The Somali Diaspora is free and open to the public.
The Riffe Gallery is supported by Ohio Building Authority. Media sponsors include Alive, CityScene, Ohio Magazine and Time Warner.
The Ohio Arts Council’s Riffe Gallery showcases the work of Ohio's artists and curators, exhibitions produced by the Ohio Arts Council’s International Program and the collections of the region’s museums and galleries. The Riffe Gallery’s Education Program seeks to increase public appreciation and understanding of those exhibitions.
The gallery is in the Vern Riffe Center for Government and the Arts, State and High Streets, Columbus, OH. Gallery hours are Tuesday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Saturday 12-8 p.m. and Sunday 12-4 p.m. Closed Monday and state holidays. Admission is free. For information, call the Riffe Gallery at 614/644-9624 or visit us on the web at www.riffegallery.org.
The Ohio Arts Council's International Program is recognized as a leader in cultural arts exchanges among U.S. state arts agencies. Designed to foster long-term involvement in international cultural exchanges, the International Program encourages Ohio artists and arts organizations to form partnerships with arts professionals abroad. The International Program provides grants to help nonprofit educational, cultural and arts organizations develop exemplary international arts projects and innovative partnerships that increase Ohio’s access to international arts activities. For more information visit www.oac.state.oh.us.
The Ohio Arts Council is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally and economically.
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Click here to view a selection of images from the exhibition.
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