São Paulo Discussions – Cultural exchanges in asymmetrical contexts

COINCIDENCIA was launched in four cities between the 5th and 12th of October 2017. It has run now quite intensively, having already allocated close to a million Swiss francs to over 120 different projects in six countries. As announced, the initial phase was focusing on ‘opening doors’ by supporting an extensive series of research trips in different disciplines, to and from different countries. The program is now entering a more intensive period of residencies and looks forward to supporting the creation of projects that will tour in 2020.

At this stage, it is important for COINCIDENCIA to pause, to take stock, and ask itself, with the help of a selected group of key partners and specialists, whether the program responds to context correctly or not. What are the lessons that the program can learn from this first year and from the comparison with other models of collaboration? How can it better define and pursue its true potential? What does COINCIDENCIA say in regards to the transition of the program into a Liaison Office in 2021?

This reflexive and critical approach takes into account the specificities of artistic exchange programs in asymmetrical contexts – diverse and often adverse. The asymmetry here does not only refer to financial differences, but also cultural (differences of topics and urgencies), scale, demography and politics. In this sense, it is important to look at alternative models and benchmark case studies. To do so, «COINCIDENCIA» conceived the «São Paulo Discussions» that bring together the team of the program and a number of guests, at the end of November and beginning of December 2018. Keynotes, conversations, artists-led actions and screenings are part of the short but intense program.

The “discussions” will be a recurring format that will develop in two more editions – in Switzerland in 2019 and again in South America in 2020. This discursive format is part of the basic original concept of the South American programme.

PROGRAM

DAY 1 – Thursday 29th of November

• 20h Seminar/dinner – “Doris Criolla” by Amilcar Packer
  @Jardin do Centro (Rua Gen. Jardim, 494, centro)
  Open to all, free, max 40 people

DAY 2 – Friday 30th of November

• 10h Workshop – Morning session for «Coincidencia»’s team only, moderated by Humana.
  @Sesc-CPF (R. Dr. Plínio Barreto, 285 – Bela Vista)
  Closed session
• 17h Screening* – “Supercomplexo Metropolitano Expandido” by Guerreiro do Divino Amor
  Opening – “Coincidencia: where do we stand? A brief report”, Jasper Walgrave & Benjamin Seroussi
• 18h Screening* – Excerpts of “O Vermelho do Meio dia” by Tobias Madison
  Keynote “Cultural extractivism, epistemic violence: notes”, Clarissa Diniz
• 19h Screening* – Excerpts of “Forest Law” by Ursula Biemann and Paulo Tavares
  Roundtable – “Local Engagement of Public Foreign Offices”, Centro Cultural da España, Chile/Rebeca Guinea Stal; Goethe Institut/Julian Fuchs; INAE/Santiago Turenne, mediation Chimene Costa
• 20h Screening* – Teaser “Caja Negra” by La Decanatura
  Case study – “Arts Collaboratory”, Tony Evanko
  @Itau Cultural (Av. Paulista, 149 – Bela Vista)
  Open to all, free, max 70 people

DAY 3 – Saturday 1st of December

• 10h Workshop – Morning session for «Coincidencia»’s team only, moderated by Humana.
  @Sesc-CPF (R. Dr. Plínio Barreto, 285 – Bela Vista)
  Closed session
• 13h Performance/lunch, Universidad Desconocida (UU)
  @TBC
  Open to all, free, max 40 persons
• 16h Keynote – “Context, not context. Vulnerability in front of others”, Boris Nikitin
• 17h Soundscapes* – “Sounds like back home” by Thomas Rohrer
  Roundtable – “Going International?”, Sesc SP/Juliana Braga; Nave/Angie Vial; Fotostiftung Schweiz/Peter Pfründer, mediation Ximena Vargas
• 18h Screening* – Excerpts of “Helvecia – Brasil, the film” by Denise Bertschi
  Case study – “Cooperaxion”, Izabel Barros
• 19h Screening* – “Louis Who? What you should know about Louis Agassiz” by Sasha Huber
  Roundtable – “Artists in transit”, Ramaya Tegegne, Real Madrid, Daniel Lima, mediation Angie Vial
  @Itau Cultural (Av. Paulista, 149 – Bela Vista)
  Open to all, free, max 70 persons

* All screenings and soundscapes are introduced by Catarina Duncan.