Latest News
Colombian National Day 2010
Two of the Foundation's Associates - Justin Macdonnell and Frank Madrid - joined with the Embassy of Colombia to celebrate that country's national day and its Bicentenary on July 20. The festive event - one of 42 held simultaneously at embassies around the world - took place in the historic Verbrugghen Hall of the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.
Frank Madrid was master of ceremonies of the evening and Justin Macdonnell, the guest of honour for his contribution over two decades of cultural exchange between Australia and Colombia. Macdonnell spoke of the many wonderful experiences and new understanding between the two countries that it had been his pleasure and privilege to witness by Australian artists going to Colombia over the years and Colombian artists coming to Australia.
In his address, H.E. Ambassador Diego Betancourt spoke of the era into which Colombia was born as a new nation in 1810, the early struggles for its survival and final triumph under Simon Bolivar. He drew attention to the spirit of the times including influence of science and the Enlightenment on those who fought for Colombia's independence.
The official part of the evening was followed by a concert featuring Australian resident Colombian maestro, Carlos Alvarado, Director of the Wollongong Symphony Orchestra and his wife, violinist Alexandra Loukianova, in a program of idyllic Colombian popular classics. This was followed by a spirited performance by the visiting folkloric group, Bajeros de Montaňa whose highly energised rendering of traditional music sent the audience clapping and singing into the night.
Expo Parque Bicentenario, Mexico
The Foundation is pleased and proud to announce the Well Theatre's Great Wall of Books will be a major focus of the Bicentennial Expo to be held in the Mexican state of Guanajuato as part of the celebrations surrounding the 200th anniversary of Mexican nationhood. The project renamed the Book of Revolutions in honour of the event will be a focus of the Expo expected to draw many millions of visitors in October this year. The project will build upon its existing format through developing new collaborations with Mexican artists in dance, performance art, visual and new media and indigenous communities as well as turning the Book structure into a radio that streams audio to the local region. The appearance of the Book of Revolutions in Mexico is made possible through fees for services from the Expo and support from Arts Victoria and the Australia Council's Going Global program.
Exploratory research work and an initial visit to Mexico by Well Director, Dario Vacirca to broker the new range of relations between Well Theatre and Mexican artists and companies was funded by the Foundation through the Australia Council's Latin America initiative.
The Hourglass Project
The Foundation is delighted to announce its support for the innovative project Hourglass lead by Melbourne based musician, Nicole Canham. The project is a multi-stage international project involving artists in Australia and Mexico. The project will be developed in 2010 and early 2011, including preliminary showings, and realised in installation performances in 2011/2012. Key partners in this cross cultural residency are Punctum in Victoria and Centro Mexicano para la Música y Artes Sonoras (CMMAS) in Mexico. Among the artists involved are Javier Alvarez (composer, Director, Conservatorio de las Rosas, Mexico), Nicole Canham (clarinettist, curator, sound artist, Australia, José Luis Garcia Nava (new media artist, Mexico), Sarah Kaur (new media artist, Australia), Ivàn Puig (visual artist, Mexico and Rodrigo Sigal (composer, Director, CMMAS, Mexico).
Hourglass explores ideas and emotions around time - time passing slowly, quickly, timelessness, memory, a musical sense of time, media compressing time, the evolution and meaning of our calendars - and brings them to life through live and recorded music, video, projections and sculpture.
Exploratory research work and an initial visit to Mexico by Nicole Canham to broker these relations was funded by the Foundation through the Australia Council's Latin America initiative. Arts Victoria and Punctum's Seedpod program have also supported the development of Hourglass.
Finegan Kruckemeyer
Tasmanian based Finegan Kruckemeyer is a leading and prolific writer and maker of theatre in Australia today. His play The Tragical Life of Cheeseboy in its production by Adelaide's Slingsby company has toured the world to great acclaim. He has many other projects across Australia and in other countries and has recently added Latin America to his list of prospects.
The Foundation was delighted to be able to assist him in exploring these are recently supported him with funds to develop these opportunities through face to face contact. In particular the Foundation supported the prospect of Aracelia Guerrero in Mexico wishing to produce three of his plays for Mexican audiences; Solange Perrazzo, Argentine performer/producer wishing to commission him to write a new work for children, which would premiere in Argentina, produced by a local company; and Berta Hiriart, a Mexican publisher, who is creating an anthology of children's theatre from around the world, wishing to include The Tragical Life of Cheeseboy.
Exploratory research work and an initial visit to Latin America to broker these relations was funded by the Foundation through the Australia Council's Latin America initiative.
Copyright © 2008 - 2010 Australia Latin America Foundation Limited
Design and maintenance: www.psi-red.com