Lo Curativo uses art as an agent for social change by organizing groups of artists that collectively rehabilitate unoccupied constructions, transforming them into community art spaces. Though based in New York City, Lo Curativo moves from north to south, through the Americas, passing borders, empowering individuals, and dissolving limitations by communicating messages through art.
Lo Curativo is founded by Cathy Mooses.*
For its first session, this summer 2007, Lo Curativo will travel to Argentina and be coordinated in conjunction with Argentinian artists Julian Gatto (Cooper Alum) and Carolina Pellejero. Part of the time will be spent in Buratovich ( a small city two hours south of Buenos Aires) collaborating with the project Un Vagon Hermoso* - a group of young Argentinian artists who turn abandoned train cars into community art spaces.
Lo Curativo will run similar to the summer sessions that were hosted by The Latin America Community Art Project* in 2004, 2005 and 2006. Artists come up with ideas for projects and fund their own travel. Free lodging and assistance acquiring supplies is available. Artists are encouraged to pursue projects that incorporate the local community. Current ideas include collaborating with local Bolivian textile artisans, teaching printmaking workshops, making public murals, and documentation. Environmental projects are also encouraged. There are tentative plans to build a compost toilet organized by Christopher Lindstrom, grandson of the Swedish engineer Rikard Lindstrom who developed the Clivus Multrum compost toilet design.*
We are currently searching for art supplies, computer, etc. as well as financial funding to renovate one abandoned train car that could forever after house visitors participating with Lo Curativo and Un Vagon Hermoso. A list of specific costs and materials needed will be sent out soon.
Please forward this to artists, researchers, environmentalists that would be interested in proposing projects for this summer
(it is preferable that participants have basic spanish speaking skills). Proposal for ways to contribute from the US are also encouraged!
Tentative dates are July 1- August 31.
To view photos of the abandoned train cars in Buratovich and the beginnings of Un Vagon Hermoso, as well as compost toilets check out the websites listed below.
A website for Lo Curativo is coming soon. In the meantime I encourage you to contact me directly at
locurativo@gmail.com.
Any inquiries and/or interests are invited,
Cathy Mooses
Locurativo
*Bio of Ms. Mooses: Over the past three summers I collectively organized projects in Mexico, the Dominican Republic and El Salvador which took place in unoccupied buildings or in conjunction with other organizations. These projects hosted over 40 artists who directed their own workshops setting up dark rooms to teach pin-hole photography, bringing down equipment to teach silkscreen, finding materials for woodblock printing, ...embroidery, puppetry, etc.
Aside from offering workshops to the host community and one another, most artists were able to produce personal work and collaborate on projects together. Some were able to use their association with the collective to help get personal grants to fund their travel. All made connections with the communities they could have never made as an individual tourist and I think its safe to say, many had life changing experiences.
* Un Vagon Hermoso site:
http://www.unvagonhermoso.blogspot.com/
* as a collective LACAP no longer exists, but to get a better understanding visit its ghost website www.lacapacidad.org
* examples of related compost toilet projects in Mexico
http://www.riles.org/tech.htm.
