Virtual Bridges: Art and Technology between Brazil and Germany

As part of the Bundeskanzlerstipendium Caroline Menezes is currently as guest at the ZKM. In this interview the curator, art historian and critic talks about her current project, her research focus and why she is most interested in this large field that nowadays involves the combination of these two words »Art« and »Technology«…

ZKM: Can you tell about your professional background? Is your research focus on contemporary and media art?

Caroline Menezes: “I have been professionally involved with art for several years and I have experience in projects of an international nature. My academic background is in Art History and in Media Studies. I have been working as an art critic for cultural publications and as curator for institutions and independent projects in England, Brazil and Portugal. I do appreciate Art from all ages and periods; traditional or experimental; from different countries and of a variety of styles; but yes, Contemporary Art has always caught my attention above all. I like to see what the human mind is creating in the moment that we are living in or in recent times. Taking this into account, in the past few years I have directed my research to media art, which I believe is the art expression that brings the most thought-provoking issues to the art field.”

ZKM: Which particular project are you going to follow up during your stay at ZKM?

Caroline Menezes: “The project title is: »Virtual Bridges: Art and Technology between Brazil and Germany«. It is an exchange that seeks to strengthen not only the artistic practices but also the creation of cross-collaborations activities and the transfer of knowledge between the two countries. It aims to implement a platform for exponents in Media Art, stimulating the development of this type of artistic expression through the exchange of information and experiences between the two countries’ cultural scenes. The project’s main goal is to create a participatory virtual community on the Internet, where debates on the subject of art and technology, exchanges, mappings and research are permanent and incited through the networks created on the platform.”

ZKM: What are your expectations for your stay? 

Caroline Menezes: “ My personal objective is to actually build and promote a participative network among art professionals that is not limited by geographical borders. I expected that virtual bridges would eventually result in further enterprises that will target a large audience beyond that of the art public. I hope that the project can improve the exchange of know-how and art practices between Germany and Brazil.”

ZKM: Can you shortly explain what is the Bundeskanzlerstipendium?

 Caroline Menezes: “The »Bundeskanzlerstipendium« is a programme financed by the Federal Foreign Office and sponsored by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation to promote cross-cultural awareness and strengthen ties between Germany and five other countries: Brazil, China, EUA, India and Russia. There are up to 10 fellowships for each country per year. The programme focuses on different sectors such as politics, economy and of course, culture (the reason I am here). Before applying for the fellowship, the person needs to have a proposal project already accepted by a host in Germany. In my case, I approached ZKM who welcomed my project. If accepted by the foundation, the person is invited to spend a bit more than one year in Germany. The first stage of the fellowship is an immersion into the German language, culture and politics, through courses, lectures and meetings in institutions and organizations. After this period, the fellow goes to the host institution to, in collaboration with the host, develop the awarded project that has to address intercultural dialogues. After the fellowship has come to an end it is expected that the fellow will act as an intermediary between his/her own country and Germany.”

ZKM: Have you ever visited the ZKM before? If not, what are your first impressions?

Caroline Menezes: “Yes, I did. In 2012, I came to Karlsruhe specifically to visit ZKM. I cannot recall the titles of the exhibitions that I saw when I first came here, but the memories of them are imprinted on my mind. I had heard a lot about the institution before arriving, but even so I was hugely impressed with the size of the place and the scope of subjects that the exhibitions covered. Last year I visited ZKM again, on a very special night, to see the Kraftwerk concert. I feel very happy to be able to develop the project here.”

ZKM: Which exhibitions/fields of research are you most interested in?

Caroline Menezes: “I am really interested in this large field that nowadays involves the combination of these two words »Art« and »Technology«. I would better say that I am interested in this very urgent type of artistic manifestation in which the artist works with technology but not merely as a tool, as the artist uses technology as an artistic language. (Although, if we search for the core meaning of the word technology this explanation may sound as a tautology, but what we are talking about here is what the word technology means for the 21^st century society.) However, generally speaking, to simplify the answer I am interested in Media Art and I have a particular fascination with computer art, video-art and performances. In the realm of curatorial studies, I am very keen to understand the role of the curator in a transnational context. What strategies should be used to display a work of art in a completely different context from where it was created?”

About

Caroline Menezes is a curator, art historian and critic. She is the co-editor of the book »The Permanence of the Transient: Precariousness in Art« (Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2014), and has articles in books and art catalogues such as the »30XBienal–Transformations in Brazilian Art from the 1^st to the 30^th Edition» (Bienal São Paulo, 2013). As an art writer, she has been working for newspapers and cultural magazines in Latin America and Europe for many years, such as the British »Studio International« where she has been part of the collaborator’s team since 2006.

Her most recent curatorial projects include »Memorablia«, solo exhibition of the Portuguese artist Rui Macedo, at the Convento dos Capuchos, Almada, Portugal in July 2014 and »Replay«, by the same artist in November 2013 at the Museu Nacional da República, in Brasília, Brazil. She is currently a member of the curatorial group ‘A Tool Box for Cultural Organization’ promoted by the 31^st São Paulo Biennial. Forthcoming shows will be »In Situ« at the Contemporary Art Museum in Niterói (MAC –Niterói), Brazil, next December and »Primary Codes« in Oi Futuro Cultural Centre, Rio de Janeiro, June 2015. At museums, she worked in 2008 as the assistant director of the Essex Collection of Art from Latin America, in Colchester, England, where she was responsible for the collection’s care and management, operational budget, loans of artworks; liaising with artists, researchers or partners; curating events and coordinating artistic residencies.

In the academic area, from 2013 to 2014 she worked as a lecturer in the Visual Art degree programme at the Rio de Janeiro State University (UERJ), responsible for practice based and theoretical classes for the Art History and Fine Arts courses. In 2009, she worked as a visiting lecturer for the MA Transnational Arts which involved undertaking the position of exhibition and publication coordinator at the graduation show at Camberwell College of Arts, London. She was the founder member of the Study Group on Latin American Art & Theory, a discussion group at the University of the Arts London in collaboration with researchers from different institutions such as Essex University and Tate Gallery, artists and independent curators. She has participated in academic conferences such as the 30^th International Congress of the Latin American Studies Association in San Francisco, USA in May 2012, and was the convenor of a session at the 39^th Art Historians Conference in April 2013 at the University of Reading, UK.

She studied Art Education and has a BA in Media Studies with emphasis on Journalism at the Fluminense Federal University, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil. She holds a Masters Degree in History of Art at the University of Sussex, in Brighton, supported by the Programme Alban: The European Union Programme of High Level Scholarships for Latin America. She is currently concluding her PhD in Art Theory at the University of the Arts London.