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On the walls of the Genet Gallery, one Syracuse artist’s work hangs next to a piece from an artist based in Argentina. Vibrant colors of red and yellow jump out at viewers, depicting different elements of Argentinian culture.

Syracuse University’s museum studies program partnered with Point of Contact Gallery for its ongoing “Libro de Artista” exhibit, which shows sketchbooks from American and Argentinian artists side-by-side. A partnership between Point of Contact, in downtown Syracuse, and the Ministry of Culture of Argentina facilitated the exhibit.

“There is such a variety of themes in displaying art in book form, that it’s really a visual medium for anyone who enjoys the arts,” said Paola Manzano, a Syracuse University museum studies graduate student.

The exhibit debuted on Oct. 11 as part of SU’s Latine Heritage Month celebrations and will be on display until Nov. 22. Next year, the exhibit will open in Buenos Aires to kick off its world tour.

“Libro de Artista” contains 60 artist sketchbooks from notable Latin American artists, including Diana Dowek, Luis Felipe Noé and Carolina Antoniadis. The works were chosen from the Artist Book Collection in the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes de Argentina. The collection covers a large timeline of works, ranging from the early 19th century to the present.

These unconventional sketchbooks were composed using different techniques and materials, as artists converted cardboard, celluloid, acrylic and metal into prints, collages and pop-up books. Pieces range from nostalgic child-like drawings and vibrant felt collages, to dark charcoal drawings and depictions of “el diablo,” the devil.

Manzano, who is managing the exhibit, described the collaborative process of compiling all the artistic materials as intense. She helped design the exhibit’s layout while also facilitating relations between Point of Contact and the Genet Gallery.

Point of Contact first entered a collaborative project with Argentina’s Ministry of Culture in 2011 to bring Argentinian art to Syracuse. Inspiration for the exhibit came after Point of Contact worked with the artists to display their works in the MOMA PS1 Art Book Fair. The team at SU’s Office of Cultural Engagement for the Hispanic Community wanted to show the works on campus long term.

Tere Paniagua, OCE’s executive director, said that after the exhibit, the sketchbooks will become a permanent part of the MNBA’s collection.

The final touch to the collection was a collaboration between Argentinian artist Pedro Roth and former SU professor Pedro Cuperman, who died in 2016. “La Dama del Rio” is a collection of Pedo Roth’s drawings and Cuperman’s poems in both English and Spanish.

Matias Roth, Pedro Roth’s son and an executive of the MNBA, said the collaboration between the two started in 2011. Pedro Roth decided to continue the project in 2021 as a director of the MNBA. Many new artists are now becoming a part of the MNBA’s permanent collection because of the project, including Cuperman.

“For me, it is an honor to work on this exhibit, as some of the best Argentinian painters agreed to donate books to be a part of this collection,” Matias Roth said.

Paniagua said she’s been working on this project with Point of Contact for over a decade – longer than OCE has existed.

“It’s very exciting for me to see a project that has evolved over a decade culminating with this exhibition and collection of artist books,” Paniagua said.

Published on November 18, 2024 at 11:06 pm