Brief introduction

Screening of two films (approx. 70 min)

Conversation between audience Itzel Esquivel and Belén Santillán (Tenthaus) (approx. 20 min)

Unlike Europe, which has been facilitating cultural integration through open dialogue, many Latin American countries have limited cultural exchange among themselves, often restricted to the connections offered by major cities such as New York, Miami, or Madrid. The School of Panamerican Unrest seeks to revisit and evaluate the ideas of various Latin American intellectuals, such as José Vasconcelos, Simón Bolívar, and José Martí, who envisioned a unified cultural region in the Americas. This project aims to explore the significance of those ideas in the age of the internet and post-globalization.

The project also seeks to discuss ways in which artistic practice in the Americas can play an influential role in public life, political, cultural, and social discourse, enriching their respective communities in a productive and proactive manner.

Pablo Helguera (Mexico City, 1971) is a visual artist living in New York. His work involves performance, drawing, pedagogy, installation, theater and other literary strategies. He is often considered a pioneering figure in the field of socially engaged art.

He has been recipient of many awards including the Guggenheim and Creative Capital fellowship as well as the first International Award for Participatory Art in Italy. Coming from a family of classical musicians, his work has frequently involved musical elements. He has performed and presented his works in many international biennials and venues. He is the author of many books including Education for Socially Engaged Art (2011) and The Parable Conference (2014). He is currently Assistant Professor of Arts Management and Entrepreneurship at The College of the Performing Arts at The New School. He writes a weekly column titled Beautiful Eccentrics.

Tenthaus Art Collective has been working together in various constellations since 2009. The collective is characterized by an open, process-oriented form of participation and collaboration. They focus on local contexts exploring collectivity and inclusion through different forms of engagement. Tenthaus began as an artists-in-schools project and over a decade later they continue to maintain strong relations to the community and works to cultivate and nurture its environment.