The Chill Concept: A New Museum Opens in Wynwood

By Irina Leyva-Pérez

The stagnant function of museums only as repositories of art and spaces for exhibitions was challenged as early as 1925. Alexander Dorner, who was back then the director of the Hannover Museum, argued that museums should be active centers where art can be experienced and incorporate the latest technical advances¹. However, it is during the 1960s, perhaps as part of the social and artistic changes of the period, that artists and curators actively pushed to change the notions of art and culture. This attitude was accompanied by the quintessential question of “What is art?”-which was undoubtedly influenced by the emergence of new media such as performances. Part of the revolution in the art field included a similar approach as Dorner’s, namely museums’ role and their modus operandi. The idea of a museum as the most important space, the definitive reservoir of culture, and the ultimate legitimizer of art pieces started to fade and independent spaces began to emerge as trendsetters. The relationship between artworks and their spectators took precedent, and an interest to engage the public as part of the process developed as an essential part of the exhibitions.

The Chill Concept. Photo: Pipe Yanguas.

As part of these changes, artists commiserated to find alternative places to work and exhibit outside of the official bounds of museums and galleries. As a consequence, the “outsider” circuit grew, with spaces that extended their functions beyond the exhibition purpose and began to include the artistic community that surrounded it as part of its programs.

Artists-in-residence studios at The Chill Concept.

In Miami, The Chill Concept is one such alternative space. It opened in the Wynwood Art District as an independent venture on Sept. 13th, 2014, and operates mostly as a cultural center. The force behind this distinctive project is Andreína Fuentes, a gallerist, artist and museologist, who has been an active part of the Miami art scene for a decade. She was also the creator of Hardcore Art Contemporary Space, recently closed and also located in the Wynwood area. Hardcore was a combination art gallery and cultural center that originally focused on art and design.

Yoga workshop at The Chill Concept.

According to Fuentes, the idea of The Chill Concept is not new, as it was on her mind as far back as 2005, when she launched Hardcore, but it didn’t take off as she expected. In 2011 she revisited the project and incorporated it to Hardcore, combining both under the same roof. Now she has decided to concentrate on this project exclusively, which involves the community around it. Fuentes has previously worked with communities and understands their importance and needs. Her first approach to this type of social work was when she worked at Museo Jacobo Borges, in her native Caracas, Venezuela. The museum was located in a rather dangerous part of the city, and her interaction with the community was decisive in the way she saw how the ideal art space should be.

The Chill Concept’s staff: Mauisa Parada, Andreína Fuentes, Mónica Uribe and Gerardo Zavarce. Photo: Pipe Yanguas.

The Chill Concept is described by Fuentes as a “pop-up museum featuring a collection of projects, rather than objects.²” This is an idea inspired by Stephen Weil’s concept of “a museum conceived as a safe environment for unpredictable ideas.” The influence of this notion can also be traced to her formation as a museologist. “I have followed the ideas of MINOM (International Movement for a New Museology), for which the museum is not just a physical space: The museum exists inside or outside of it, because art does not have a need for walls. You may find a collection not necessarily of objects; there you may find yourself surrounded by cultural heritage that may or may not be tangible. Our main interest is the community. These are the premises of The Chill Concept.³“

Opening reception of “The Museum Evolution” exhibition, at The Chill Concept on September 13, 2014.

The exhibition program, a cornerstone of the project, didn’t stop even when the new building was being renovated. They have presented five exhibitions so far: “As you are As it is,” a solo show by Fiona Henderson; “Tales of Wynwoodland”; “Construction and Deconstruction,” a solo show by Othón Castañeda; “The future is Bright The past is Black and White,” by Blue and Joy; and “Portraits of Desire,” a collective show by Adriana Barrios, Evelyn Valdirio, Aurora Rincón and Ma. Esther Quintana.

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Señor Conejo by Carlos Zerpa & Bunny Cockcakes by Nina Dotti at FIA Caracas 2014.

They also presented the first LGBTQ independent Chinese film festival in Miami, curated by Jane V Hsu. This was a two-day event that featured the work of Cui Zi’en, He Xiaopei, Fan Popo and Yuan Yuan, currently the most significant filmmakers in this field in the country. They all live and work in Beijing, where their films are subject of censorship by the government. The festival allowed them to present their work in Miami and to have open discussions with the public. The festival also included P.M.S Bar, a performance by Nina Dotti that was previously censored in Shanghai.

Arnoldo Maal, Oracle, 2014, video installation. New Media Festival 2014.

In September, Fuentes presented The Chill Concept project at FIA Caracas, with works by artists Adriana Barrios, Nina Dotti, Carlos Zerpa, Muu Blanco, Isabella Muci, Raúl Marroquín and Blue and Joy collective.

The Chill Concept also organized the New Media Festival, which will take place from Oct. 9 to 31, with a program that will include screening, video mapping, audio-visual performances, workshops, exhibition and lectures. This year the festival will have as special guest the Environment Media Collective, a collaboration of five international new media artist’s that will feature Raúl Marroquín, Claudia Robles-Angel, Arnoldo Maal, Matthias Muller and Carlos Cuéllar Brown.

Nina Dotti, Tremendo Cambur, 2014, digital print.

One of the most distinctive features of this venture is a residency program for contemporary artists, which includes working space and accommodations on the premises. The program was established in October 2013 and will continue here. It is by invitation only and designed to run for a period of two to three weeks, during which workshops and exhibitions will promote encounters and dialogue between artists and curators.

This art complex is aiming to function as a multifaceted institution. There will be art exhibitions, performances and films projections. It will also be a documentation center, providing the necessary tools for social and artistic research through a library of contemporary art, open to the public. Art students will find here a space in which to exhibit their work and hold their critique sessions. Finally, it will offer a program of lectures and workshops not only about visual arts, but also about psychology and personal growth. The Chill Concept’s main intention is to bring people together through art, but also through wellness, an inclusive concept that covers mind and body.

The Chill Concept is located at 114 Northeast 20^th Terrace. Miami’s Wynwood Art District, 33137 / Phone: 305 915 1957, 786 442 8843. For more information about its calendar of events visit  www.thechillconcept.com / info@thechillconcept.com.

Notes

1.    Giannetti, Claudia. “Escenarios del arte y el programa de lo visual.” Errata # 6. Museos y Nuevos Escenarios del Arte. Bogota: Instituto Distrital de las Artes, December 2011, p. 84.

2.    The Chill Concept website presentation.

3.    Press release for The Chill Concept.

Irina Leyva-Pérez is an art historian and writer based in Miami. She is curator of Pan American Art Projects Gallery.