Fostering talent
Three selected artists will be granted fellowship awards by Monte Azul Center for the Arts in Costa Rica
In recognition and celebration of the debut of our new studio facilities in Costa Rica, MACA underwrites full fellowship awards as inaugural grants to three selected artists. This award celebrates our ongoing commitment to fostering artistic research and development. Each recipient of the inaugural grant will receive the following:
• Admission to MACA: November 4, 2024, to November 24, 2024
• 24-hour access to studios (including select materials)
• Private accommodation
• Full board: breakfast, lunch, and dinner
• Transportation from SJO to MACA
• Airfare is not included.
The Jurors
Carlos Luis Rojas Jara, Director Curator of MACA, is pleased to introduce two esteemed and internationally respected colleagues —alumni artists at Monte Azul— who kindly agreed to join him in the jury for this contemporary art competition.
Federico Herrero
Visual artist focused on painting
Costa Rica
Federico Herrero (1978, San José, Costa Rica) exhibits extensively internationally. Recent projects include “Tactiles” at Kunsthalle Lissabon, Portugal (2022) and “Barreras Blandas” at the National Museum of Costa Rica, San José (2020). His work stood out at the Thailand Biennale 2021. He received the Young Artist Award at the 49th Venice Biennale in 2001. His works are part of permanent collections, including the Museum of Contemporary Art of the 21st Century in Kanazawa, Japan; Denver Art Museum; ME Collectors Room, Berlin; MUAC, Mexico; Reina Sofia National Art Center Museum, Spain; Perez Art Museum Miami; Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York; and Tate Modern, London. He also founded Despacio and is a co-founder of cero uno and Abra, spaces promoting contemporary art in the city of San José.
Karina Salguero Moya
Writer, curator, literature editor, producer
Costa Rica
Karina Salguero (1970, San José, Costa Rica) is internationally recognized for her exceptional talent, skills, and experience. Salguero is currently the General Director of the historic National Theater of Costa Rica and a member of the Administrative Board of the Museum of Costa Rican Art. She belonged to the Administrative Board and Foundation of the Museum of Art and Contemporary Design (MADC); the advisory committee of the Ibero-American Design Biennial (BID); the Administrative Board of SINART; the Board of the Costa Rican College of the Ministry of Culture and Youth. She is part of the founding team and board of Iberoamérica Diseña and currently belongs to the Euro-Latin American Network of Performing Arts. She hosts a radio program on culture and art every Monday with Fernando Chaves Espinach called “Desayunos de Radio Universidad.” Salguero has edited books by Isidro Ferrer, Luciano Goizueta, and other artists. She wrote the book on the Costa Rican sign painter Mr. Maskin and, along with other authors, wrote the first photographic book about Cocos Island. She has served as an authority in forums and academic panels of chroniclers of the García Márquez Foundation for New Journalism, on topics of creative economy and Ibero-American design management. Additionally, Salguero has been the co-editor of international literary magazines such as Orsai, Rara, and the fanzine Tolva. She was the artistic director of the International Book Fair of Costa Rica in 2013. Salguero has designed literary content for the National Film Festival, Costa Rica’s presence at the Guadalajara International Book Fair, and the Paris Book Fair. Earlier in her career, Salguero served as the Executive Director of Magazines and Supplements for the Nación Group.
Requirements
The 2024 Inaugural Grant offers artists the unique opportunity of a fully-funded 15-day artistic residency at Monte Azul Center for the Arts in Costa Rica. The competition is open to established professional artists in various disciplines, including but not limited to Sculpture, Writing, Painting, Printmaking, Fiber, Digital Media, Movement, Performance, and Sound.
Applicants must submit a professional curriculum vitae and a letter of motivation and intent. The statement should include a detailed proposal outlining objectives and an execution plan proving the feasibility of completion during their residency at MACA. A maximum of three (3) digital images of works created after the year 2020 and relevant to the proposal are required.
To Apply
- The application fee is $35, applicable to artists residing outside Costa Rica; artists residing in Costa Rica are exempt from this fee
- Three (3) images, maximum
- Click here to access application form Inaugural Fellowship Award
- The application deadline is July 05, 2024
- Selected artists will be notified by July 16, 2024
- Confirmed award recipients will be announced on July 25, 2024
- Monte Azul will present an exhibition in the MACA gallery to showcase the work created during the residency, with a subsequent three-person exhibition in San José contingent on curatorial approval and in collaboration with MACA
- In the case of the contingent option, works selected by the curatorial committee would remain under a consignment contract with MACA, with terms negotiated individually with each participating artist
- Monte Azul does not assume responsibility for shipping or transporting the artwork to destinations outside our facilities, except for a possible exhibition in San José
- MACA does not require a donation of created work, leaving this option at the discretion of each artist
About Monte Azul, Costa Rica
Accommodating a broad range of disciplines and media, artists come to MACA for our personalized, intimate, and supportive programming. Conceived, designed, operated, and owned by artists for artists, MACA was created to provide a haven to foster and encourage experimentation and artistic focus, allowing established artists in their careers to fully immerse themselves in their creative goals.
Starting in January 2024, MACA opened its doors with new facilities, inaugurating a new year of exploration and artistic collaboration. MACA extends its gratitude for the generous collaboration of sculptor and architect, Andrés Cañas, for his valuable contributions with an exquisite architectural design suitable for this spectacular tropical forest environment along the Chirripó Pacífico River. MACA is situated amid the stunning mountainous landscapes of Costa Rica, a country that holds 5% of the planet’s biodiversity despite covering only 0.03% of the Earth’s surface. Cradled in this ecological wonder, artists can access trails leading to waterfalls, natural pools, and direct interaction with nature and the local community.
The private nature reserve of Monte Azul offers facilities that include 37 hectares (87 acres), 24-hour access to private studios, an art gallery, private gardens, and outdoor work areas, combining the best of artistic inspiration with environmental immersion.
