A group of young people arrived at the museum with their graduation projects; uncertainty, eagerness, and shyness showed on their faces, their eyes scanning every space while, in their minds, they imagined how their work would look in this corner, on this curve, in this empty space, climbing the stairs, or hanging from the great central skylight; they were intoxicated with illusions, dreams, and projections.
Participating Artists
Elena Hoyos
THE CROSSING
A group of young people arrived at the museum with their graduation projects; uncertainty, eagerness, and shyness showed on their faces, their eyes scanning every space while, in their minds, they imagined how their work would look in this corner, on this curve, in this empty space, climbing the stairs, or hanging from the great central skylight; they were intoxicated with illusions, dreams, and projections.
Little by little the boxes, the rolls, the crates, the folders arrived, and each of them, like surgeons, removed the plastic wrap, pulled the screws from the wood, unwrapped the layers of bubble wrap, and revealed their creations, absorbed and proud.
On the museum's three floors a constant commotion can be heard: people rush up the stairs, stretch and retract the tape measure, test distances, exchange winks, take photos; even many of their parents help with the installation, bring lunches, cheer them on, tell stories; the stragglers ask to borrow a hammer, ask for a cable, a screw, or an eyebolt; it is all a symphony of voices, drills, hammers, and lights, at times verging on cacophony and at other times falling into intermittent rhythms.
The space takes shape; like a tower of Babel it coils and rises until it reaches its limits; steps become more measured, gazes more precise, hands point, the mind wanders, and in every section there is a discovery, heightening one's sense of wonder at the diversity and quality of the works on display. Where does so much creativity spring from? What long road did they travel to reach the museum? How did we not see these talents before? How were they brought together?
Throughout each of the twenty editions of Proyecto TESIS, we have been part of this ever-changing, ever-vibrant scene where the best graduation projects from Colombian universities meet, along with those of some invited foreign institutions.
A retrospective look allows us to appreciate the short distance we have traveled in consolidating the history of Colombian contemporary art in these first two decades of the 21st century: how the purpose of the thesis has shifted, from a requirement for obtaining a degree to becoming an artist's first professional work, one that can be exhibited in a museum, validating their experience and positioning them within the cultural field; how the ties between universities and the museum have been strengthened to broaden the reach of research-creation processes; how possibilities for international mobility have opened up through partnerships with institutions in Asia, Europe, and Latin America; how continuity and support have been given to the artists who have taken part in this project, including them in our collection, nominating them for biennials, curatorial projects, graduate programs, artist residencies, art fairs, and countless open calls; and how to build a thesis bank that can serve as a reference for researchers, professors, artists, and curators.
Now we must move forward, continue this wonderful adventure, and take more risks! There is much left to discover; let us imagine the coming decades full of possibilities within our reach. As if it were a staircase, we have climbed the first two steps — what will we be able to see from the third, the fourth… the tenth? We won't know until we get there, so let's take a breath and continue this journey.
Gustavo A. Ortiz S.
Director of the MAC