ResidencyLeonardo Herrera

In the framework of the Fellowship Program for Latin American Artists organized by MESA8 at Casa Poli, Colombian artist Leonardo Herrera has initiated a project that has led him to establish a close relationship with the community, as he delves in local social issues, particularly the crisis at the Bellavista Oveja Tomé textile factory, and the student protests in Concepción. These have been the thematic cores in the project entitled Actions, Accounts and Stories Against Affronts, an ongoing artistic proposal in constant evolution. The research phase of the project has involved-among other strategies-interviews with former union leaders as well as visits to the factory, the communities affected by the situation, as well to the University of Concepción during the occupations by the students. This research has generated a group of drawings, objects and performances, as well as plans for public actions and exhibitions during the month of August, 2011, both in Tomé and Concepción; a series of encounters with students and professors, and with former textile workers and with members of the community at large. It is a prolific artistic scene that is nonetheless affected by centralism and the earthquake that occurred on February 27, 2010. MESA8 is a working group that includes artists, art professionals, and cultural promoters in the Bío Bío region. Since 2008, its purpose has been to generate actions that involve artistic practices, art agents, and the community. The group is formed by Carolina Maturana, Leslie Fernández, Cristián Muñoz, Oscar Concha, David Romero, Gerardo López, Carolina Lara and Natascha de Cortillas, along with collaborations by Daniel Cartes. The Casa Poli-Tomé Residency Program is one of the priority projects for this period, and involves the participation of Latin American artists who already have experience working with public spaces, social contexts, cultural groups and pedagogic axles as part of the process involved in their works. More information available at: www.mesa8.cl