BERLIN ART INSTITUTE RESIDENCY
My experience at the BAI was excellent. I felt fully supported, respected, and, at the same time, free to continue developing my artistic process, thanks to the exploration of new materials and pursuits that foster confidence in my own artistic criteria and the potential I bring; without pressure and in accordance with my needs. I believe that the BAI studio art program promotes a concrete opportunity for growth that, depending on how each participant seizes it, can exceed their expectations not only as an artist but also on a personal level. It is a stimulating, innovative, and constructive platform that promotes the development of artistic language, as well as self-confidence and the development of one's own talent and judgment. The coaching of its generous and well-prepared directors, as well as the interesting critical debates they promote, both individually and in groups, among the participating artists, exchanging and enriching experiences with the different ages and cultures that each brings from their own countries, is a clear example of this. And it's a point that really 'adds' because of the background that is shared, making people aware of seeing art from other perspectives.
Furthermore, pre-planned gallery visits and seminars led by talented thinkers, artists, and/or curators invite participants to gain insight, questions, and conversations about contemporary art, as well as to learn how to integrate it professionally. This also gave me the opportunity to explore the cultural richness, idiosyncrasies, and artistic world that unfolds in the incredible and now beloved city of Berlin. I would also like to highlight the caring disposition and work of its directors, artists Stephanie Jünemann and Ralf Schmitt, virtuoso human beings who dedicate themselves to the participants with interest and care, encouraging each one to carry out their own process, guiding them from a horizontal perspective, and with enough drive to stimulate each one in their own aspirations. I hope to return, because I feel that thanks to this institution I was able, at a particular moment in my life, to rediscover part of my paternal roots in this beloved European land and thus undertake an important and unforgettable internal process that transcended even my own art.