I have been to Arquetopia Puebla twice and Arquetopia Cusco once. I worked on self-directed projects all three times, and every experience very bountiful in its own way. Part of the Arquetopia experience includes weekly meetings and readings meant to educate and engage participants and encourage thinking critically, however it is not a strict academic setting. No one will be judged if they tried but didn’t manage to complete the reading due to time restraints. Their residency may also include some planned outings which are quite informative, and I would also suggest exploring the surrounding location yourself or with fellow residents during weekends because there is so much worth seeing in those areas. I do recommend: reading their manual thoroughly beforehand, and learning some basic Spanish to be well prepared!
Arquetopia Foundation
Puebla, Oaxaca / Cusco / Naples, Mexico / Peru / Italy
About
Arquetopia Foundation is an award-winning, multiple award-winning nonprofit arts and academic foundation with a significant social scope and global presence across three continents. Now in its 14th year, Arquetopia is dedicated to promoting critical thinking, a commitment to ethics, and a sense of reciprocity in artistic practices. It offers customized, professional International Artist-in-Residence Programs that are renowned worldwide for their comprehensive, research-based approach, focusing on social creativity. Arquetopia's residency programs, situated in Puebla and Oaxaca in Mexico, Cusco in Peru, and Naples in Italy, are tailored to provide a vast array of learning opportunities. These programs are distinguished for their commitment to sustainability in the arts, fostering research and critical thinking in creative processes. Arquetopia's model challenges preconceived notions of history and place, encouraging artists to engage with local epistemologies and resistance models as sources of knowledge and inspiration for social change. The foundation emphasizes ethical artistic practices, acknowledging the problematic ties of artist residencies to colonization, imperialism, and the extractive practices of tourism. Established in 2009 as an autonomous and registered Mexican nonprofit, Arquetopia is self-sustaining, unaffiliated with any political, religious, or war industrial entities, relying on its self-generated funding model. The foundation was co-founded by Mexican visual artist and curator Francisco Guevara and North American classical musician Chris Davis. Originally started as an educational art center for inner-city youth, it quickly evolved to offer international artist residencies. Arquetopia stands out for its array of unique residency programs with substantial mentoring, focused on professional artists, writers, academics, and researchers. It provides a generous and culturally diverse space, hosting artists and scholars from all over the world, aiming to enrich the global arts community with a multiplicity of perspectives.
Disciplines
Professional Opportunities
Rating Breakdown
Reviews(5)
I had an incredible experience in residency with Arquetopia! I received a weekly syllabus that pushed and deepened my artistic praxis in new directions. I also had 24 hour access to studio space and complete freedom to create and explore at my own pace. In addition to the sense of satisfaction and connectedness my residency left me with, Arquetopia also served as the jumping off point for my career as an exhibiting artist globally! The exposure that I received through Arquetopia made it possible for me to show a solo exhibition at the Florence Biennale XIV, and put me on the radar of gallerists in Italy, London, and New York. Although the residency is decently expensive, and I would recommend planning to buy groceries for breakfast and lunch (dinner is provided), I felt the experience was beyond worth the cost!! Working with, and learning from the Arquetopia team has definitely pushed my practice in exciting directions.
Benefits, rigorous reading and lively and honest discussions. Readings were tailored to my interests and personal experience Challenges, as with any residency what to bring? Practical advice, go deep as you like! Great food, friendly small city. Costs and gains are entirely related to the kind of work when I exited. Travel was expensive , however the cost of the city, meals, etc., was more than reasonable
Arquetopia Residency seems to be best suited for those who are interested in a research-based, material/technique specific, site and culture specific, and academic experience. I joined this residency specifically to learn a technique in weaving that is similar to a weaving technique practiced in the Philippines, where my family is from. This was a part of material research I was investigating and continue to investigate. I was also drawn to the residency for the rigorous academic readings and critical discourse provided re: themes of colonization and art. This residency fulfilled very specific research and technical development desired in my personal practice. For the weaving residency, I was paired with a master weaver who I learned immensely from. We had a small group of 4 artists and we all became close and traveled to Cusco together, but this is not a big “networking” residency since there are no art galleries or contemporary art spaces (except for spaces that are artist-owned and run and only exhibit and sell their own work) in the town that the residency is located. It is a great space for specific, culture-based research. It is quite expensive of a residency (including travel to the residency) and there is no financial aid, but daily cleaning and meals (except for the weekend) are provided which really help to give residents more freedom with their time. The price also covers the materials and mentorship for the specific technical residency I applied for: Andean weaving. I was provided a backstrap loom and thread for 2 weavings. I ended up purchasing more thread to continue a 3rd weaving at home. One thing I was surprised by was the absence of basic tools. Be sure to bring tools that you absolutely need for your own practice. There are no facilities that would support big personal projects if you do not provide tools for yourself. The work space is also quite small and shared with no real walls — it’s a tented space outdoors. I personally loved my experience with Arquetopia and I continue to benefit and learn from readings shared as well as continued dialogue with Francisco, who is the director of the program.
The staff has weekly meeting to discuss the assigned reading, it was a process of deconstruction for me. The Natural Pigments professor is a master and has much knowledge in the field, she taught me in deeped different techniques. I’m very grateful for my stay in Puebla, MX.