Art & Ideas: Inspired by artists of Latin America

Western art made by men has generally been at the forefront when we study the art movements and art history of the 20th Century. In this series of workshops we look at some female Latin American artists whose practices are as broad and compelling as their more well-known European male counterparts.

Political conflicts that took place in several South American countries during the 20th century heavily influenced artists who had initially taken inspiration from European and North American art movements, who adapted them to reflect their local and regional context.

During these sessions, participants will have a chance to learn about these fascinating female artists, their personal and socio-political context and how this influenced their work besides exploring the techniques and artistic elements observed in each session to create responses following their own ideas.

The concept of soft sculpture has often been attributed to artist Claes Oldenburg with his giant food series made with canvas and vinyl in 1962. However, Marta Minujin was already exploring with mattresses, stuffing fabric and creating structures with them in 1961, using painting, colour vibrations, as well as focusing on the interactions that occurred between the audience and her artworks. Minujin was Born 1943 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, just months before the Revolution of 1943.

In 1961 she was living in Paris, exploring the art scene. Here she decided to use (in her own words) “my own mattress in which I slept and dreamt” to resignify it as a sort of intervened object Trouvé piece. She continued using mattresses which were no longer in use and found abandoned outside of hospitals. She used vibrant fluorescent acrylic painting for her pieces, resembling the striped design of the fabric used for beds at the time and also as a response to the current interest in pop art’s vibrancy, thus re signifying them and giving them a second chance as objects that perhaps were initially charged with negative connotations but were now used to express human connection, life, fun, and energy.

In this one-day workshop you will be able to explore colour and textiles to create vibrant artworks inspired by Minujin’s exuberant work. All materials are provided but participants are encouraged to bring along materials/objects that they would like to incorporate into their work.

COURSE TUTOR: LUDMILA CENTURIÓN

Artist and educator Ludmila Centurión grew up in Asunción, Paraguay where she studied and worked before moving to the UK to complete a MA in Creative Arts in Education at The University of Exeter. After graduating in 2021, she has chosen to stay in England to continue exploring the arts, arts education, creativity and this country’s diverse cultures. She has over 10 years of teaching art to a broad range of students, from children to adults. Her studies and workshops draw on the ideas of British philosopher and art historian, Sir Herbert Read and her own cultural heritage.

Workshop attendees get 10% off all food and hot drinks at the Café Bar.

VENUE: EXETER PHOENIX

*Subject to a £1.50 ticketing system charge. We don’t charge this to make a profit. Find out more >>