The ”UNAGE IASI ART RESIDENCY” program, based in Iasi town, Romania, it is focusing on intercultural exchange with international artists from painting area, since 2018. The Painting Department from the Faculty of Fine Arts and Design within “George Enescu” National University of Arts supports the residency.

The aim of  “UNAGE IASI ART RESIDENCY” is to create various and complex events in Iasi, a cultural town with a lots of inspiration sources, to meet the students from “George Enescu” National University of Arts and the local artists, in order to exchange ideas and share experiences with them as for a future possible collaboration - the project team informs.

The artists had totally freedom to take their time while creating the art projects. Later, their art will be exhibited in Aparte Gallery which belongs to the Faculty of Fine Arts and Design, or in another local gallery.

The project consisted in a collaboration of resident Mexican artists: Francisco Huaroco Rosas, Giovanni Fabián, Josue Alonso (Colectivo Cherani) with the students of Painting, Fine Arts and Sculpture specializations, from the Faculty of Visual Arts and Design in Iasi. The artists carried out their project within the artistic residency program "U.N.A.G.E. Iasi Art Residency'', with the support of the Painting Specialization and implicitly the Painting Research Center - Contemporary Visual Practices belonging to the Painting Department.

The result was an artistic installation with colored balloons, filled with hot air and launched into the air at the end. The installation project consisted in making Chinese paper balloons of various models, colors and sizes. It was an interactive, interesting and useful collaboration that was well documented, to be published in a catalog.

This collaboration was possible following the conclusion of an Erasmus+ partnership agreement between the "George Enescu" National University of Arts from Iasi and the cultural association "La Coyotera Taller Estudio" from Mexico.

"Mexico is a country full of traditions. Due to the cultural diversity that characterizes us, communities have different and attractive ways of celebrating the most representative festivities. One tradition is the Cantoya balloons. 

The name comes from Joaquín de la Cantoya y Rico, a Mexican aerostatics enthusiast who, during the second half of the 19^th century, developed and built a balloon nearly 10 meters tall. His fame was such that he was requested at almost every religious celebration in the region to launch his creations.

Francisco Huaroco, Giovanni Fabián

Nowadays, this tradition holds deep meanings for various towns in Mexico. In the case of the Purépecha people of Michoacán, and particularly in Cherán, it is an activity that reinforces social bonds within the community and encourages playful activities for children and young people. In other towns located in the Milpa Alta delegation of Mexico City, this practice is performed to guide souls to their resting place. The balloon allows souls to rise to the heavens and is a unique custom during the Day of the Dead".

Proyecto en Sitio 2019 - Umecuaro, Michoacán, México

Francisco Huaroco, Giovanni Fabián 

"On November 1^st, balloons are released for the souls who left this world when they were young, and on November 2^nd, the launch pays tribute to the deceased of older ages.

 

They are luminous balloons that will astonish with their design, large size, and bright colors. They are generally made of tissue paper, also known as Chinese paper, and they rise thanks to the hot air that spreads inside them. Their design is usually based on geometry (stars, multiplying stars, multiplying peaks) and they are also made with "molded" shapes or various figures (animals, traditional dolls, and more...).

Cantoya Fest Pátzcuaro, México      Francisco Huaroco

The artists of Cherán have been creating balloons since we were children. Now we wish to carry this tradition into the realm of art, where we can experience the connection between object and artist through direct touch during the performance. Conceptually, this represents the bond with the outer space, experiencing different atmospheres of nature (forests, lakes, hills) or simply in places where a natural connection is felt." - Francisco Huaroco 

 

Information and photos kindly provided by

Ioana Palamar, program coordinator & lecturer at UNAGE Iasi

& Colectivo Cherani