SOURCES: Siente Panamá. "www.sientepanama.com". Social/Zona VIP.

LUZ BOTERO: HAND IN HAND WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MUST COME CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT

Luz Botero receives us in the office of her gallery at Trump Ocean Club, surrounded by exquisite and striking artwork and immersed in her Ipad, from which she reads and sends emails to all 5 continents between phone calls. A Panamanian artist contacting her from Florence, an appointment to be confirmed with other curators of the Biennial of the South Panama 2013, her grand project to turn Panama into an international art center, which is already beginning to take shape. It's a dream she has cultivated for years. It is her personal way of thanking the country that she considers her second home for everything it has offered her, especially its warmth, responsiveness and the faith it has placed in projects like hers.

She doesn't want to talk about her or her gallery, which sits on the sidelines to avoid misunderstandings, but focuses entirely on the Biennial of the South.

Luz Botero has lived in Panama for 20 years, in constant activity and collaborating with various Panamanian foundations. The idea of Biennial of the South was born due to the great Panamanian economic development, because for Luz, “economic development must go hand in hand with cultural development”. And this is a central and existential point for her: the contribution she can offer, not only to Panama, but globally.

She has participated in all major biennial for years and maintains a close relationship with the directors of the biennials, which will now be vital, because for an enterprise of the magnitude of the Biennial of the South a lot of international support is required.

Luz tells us that the great promoter of the idea is Roxana Méndez, the Mayor of Panama City, a close friend of Luz and "called to great things, because she wants to do a lot for the city, especially for the marginalized".

One of Roxana's aims – the gallerist explains - is that the Art exhibition not located in one place or restricted to a certain audience, but that it be accessible to everyone. Everyone should participate: youngsters, students, people in general. That's why there will be all kinds of art demostrations: workshops, hands-on graffiti, videos... the Mayor wants the public to be an important player in the Biennial.

The Biennial has taken over a year of preparations and eight months of full-time dedication by Luz Botero. She has traveled around the world visiting the workshops of leading international artists, exhibitions, fairs, museums. Together with the curatorial team, a guest list of the most prominent creators from the 65 participating countries has been established.

A very highly qualified international jury has been constituted. Not everyone wants to be mentioned, since they do not seek fame – they are already famous – they rather to work in this novel and attractive project. The call was made to 650 artists, from which the jury will select about 300.

The Biennial wants to be as open and participatory as possible and therefore prizes will not be awarded, rather it will be done in such a manner that participation will be incentive enough, due to the presence of international guests, and the national and global showcase that will be provided for the participanting works. Within the audience we will have renowned artists, experts, critics, curators, collectors, celebrities...

The main idea is to turn Panama into a world reference in terms of Art: to position the country and the Biennial globally. Many of the artists that will come to the Biennial - clarifies Botero - are already present in Sao Paulo, Venice and other important exhibitions, but the works with which they will be participating in the Biennial South have never been shown in Biennials and many of them will be especially made to be exhibited for the first time in Panama.

In terms of logistics and financing, the largest support is from the Mayoralty of Panama. The Mayor is fighting to change the city up into its last corners through art. It is all about adding: “without the collaboration of private enterprises we could not carry out this mega-exhibition” and it is being achieved. The Biennial will see the light thanks to the generous support of the National Government, private businessmen, large corporations, banks and mid-sized enterprises.

Many works will remain in Panama and become icons of the city. The artists are being supported in regards to logistics, transportation of the works, insurance and technical matters.

Participating artists come by their own means, but we will try to facilitate their stay.

 

 

 

 

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