othón castañeda
Othón Castañeda, Cultural Producer
Othón Castañeda has devoted himself to the cultural production of art and architecture-related events specializing in the development of one-of-a-kind projects, exhibitions, and professional training courses for art professionals. Especially noteworthy among these activities are Art Marbella (SP, 2015-2020), Pinta London (UK, 2010-2018), Biennial of the Frontiers (MX - USA, 2012-2015), Artheorica Magazine (2017 - present), and his most recent project Tropical Art Lab, a platform for emerging artists. With experience in the academic and editorial fields, he taught art courses as Adjunct Faculty at the Miami Dade College Kendall Campus and Tec de Monterrey en Tampico, among other institutions in Mexico and USA.
EDUCATION (Selection)
2020. High Performance Program in Contemporary Art (Programa de alto rendimiento en arte contemporáneo, PARAC), supported by DEC, A.C.; Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Monterrey (METRO) and Patronato de Arte Contemporáneo (PAC), Mexico.
2020. Introduction to parametric design. Fundamentals and strategies in Grasshopper,
Tec de Monterrey – Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, Mexico – Spain.
2017 -2018. Contemporary Art Studies Course (70 hrs), National Center for the Arts (Centro Nacional de las Artes), Mexico.
2014. How to Make Biennials in Contemporary Times (Internal workshops for biennial practitioners), World Biennial Forum No. 2, Biennial Foundation, Fundação Bienal de São Paulo and ICCo – Instituto de Cultura Contemporânea, Sao Paulo, Brazil
2014. MFA Visual Arts, Miami International University of Art and Design, Miami, FL, USA
2007. Business for the Arts Seminar, Adriane Arsht Center (formerly Carnival Center), Miami, FL, USA
1999. BA Architecture, Habitat Faculty, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, SLP, México
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS & AFFILIATIONS (Selection)
2014-Present. National Association of Latino Arts & Culture (NALAC), USA
2016. Jury member. Fifth BBVA Bank - Carrillo Gil museum of Art Award (V Premio BBVA Bancomer – Museo de Arte Carrillo Gil), Mexico City, México.
2015. Grant Participation, 3rd General Assembly, La Triennale di Milano - International Biennial Association, Milan, Italy.
2015 - 2017. International Biennial Association, IBA. EAO
2014-2017. The American Institute of Architects (AIA), Miami, FL, USA
2012-2014. Council member (Ad Honorem), Arts and Entertainment Council of the City of Miami, FL, USA.
WORK & PRODUCTION EXPERIENCE (Selection)
2019 - Present. Co-director. Tropical Art Lab, Mexico - USA
2017 - Present. Editor. Artheorica Magazine, Mexico.
2015–2020. Architect & Production Adviser, Art Marbella, Malaga, Spain
2102–2015. Executive Director & Chief Curator, Bienal de las Fronteras, ITCA-CONACULTA, Mexico
2009–2018. Architect & Production Adviser. Pinta London – The Immigrants, London, UK
2012–2014. Business Development Director, Art Pulse Magazine (English), Miami, FL, USA
2010–2012. Special Projects Director, Special Editions dedicated to Haiti (2010), Mexico (2011) and Argentina (2012), Merrill Lynch Arteamericas Art Fair, Miami Beach, FL, USA
2008–2012. Architect & Production Adviser, Pinta New York Art Fair, New York City, NY, USA
2008. Research assistant, Extended Boundary, Latin American and Caribbean Artists in Miami. Inter-American Development Bank Cultural Center, Washington, DC, USA
2006–2007 Circulation Manager, Arte al Dia International Magazine (English and Spanish), Miami, FL, USA
TEACHING RELATED EXPERIENCE
2018-Present. Art and Culture Coordinator, Tec de Monterrey en Tampico, Mexico
2015 - 2017 Adjunct Faculty, Art Appreciation (Bachelor Level, Spring), Miami Dade College, Kendall, FL, USA
2014 Coordinator, On Curating and Biennials In, About and Around Latin American Art. Curatorial Workshop at El Museo del Barrio and The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum of Art, New York, NY, USA
2014. Adjunct Faculty (Graduate Level, Fall). Curatorial and Exhibition Development, St. Thomas University, Miami, FL, USA
2014. Studio Reviewer (Medellin Studio), Urban Design, School of Arch., University of Miami, FL, USA
2014 - 2016. Adjunct Faculty, Semantics & Studio for Graphic Design (Bachelor Level, Fall), Jose Maria Vargas University, Pemproke Pines, FL, USA
CURATORIAL EXPERIENCE & EXHIBITION DEVELOPMENT
2019. Co-Curator. (Calabró, Fortunata; Carmona, Rolando & Castañeda, Othón). Project: RESET! Latin America, Paris, France (Project)
Latin American video exhibit. Artists from Latin America.
2017. Borders, video exhibit (Guest Curator), Mexican Cultural Institute, Washington, DC. USA
* Videos by contemporary artists, including Florencia Levy (Argentina), Heliodoro Santos (Mexico), Emilio Chapela (Mexico), Bruno Goosse (Belgium), Miguel Ángel Ortega (Mexico), Carlos Ruiz-Valarino (Puerto Rico), Tania Ximena Ruiz Santos (Mexico), Cristiana De Marchi (Italy) and Maya Yadid (Israel)
2017. ArtMedellin Fair, (Guest Curator), Plaza Mayor Convention Center, Medellin, Colombia
Selection process of 25 art galleries from Argentina, Peru, Mexico, Colombia, Brazil and United States of America
2016. Borders, video exhibit (Guest Curator), Mexican Cultural Institute, Miami, FL. USA
* Exhibiting artists
2016. Selected artworks from Biennial of the Frontiers (Guest Curator. In collaboration with Chief Curator Guillermo Santamarina), Carrillo Gil Museum of Art, Mexico City, Mexico
Works by Luz Maria Sanchez (Mexico), Maya Yadid (Jerusalem), Mauricio Saenz (Mexico-USA)
2016. ArtMedellin Fair, (Guest Curator), selection of participating international art galleries,
Plaza Mayor Convention Center , Medellin, Colombia
Selection of 25 Art galleries from Argentina, Mexico, Grenada, Chile, Colombia, Brazil, United States of America and Switzerland
2015. Biennial of the Frontiers / Bienal de las Fronteras (Executive Director & Chief Curator) Tamaulipas Contemporary Art Museum, ITCA-CONACULTA, Matamoros, Mexico
Chief Curator of the biennial and its main exhibition including works by contemporary artists such as: Gina Arizpe (México), Emilio Chapela, (México), Eric Bourret (France), Efraín Salinas Salinas (Mexico), Florencia Levy (Argentina), Andrés Felipe Castaño (Colombia), Pablo López Luz (México ), Manuela Viera-Gallo (Italy), Roberto Juárez Cervantes (Mexico), Armando Miguélez Giambruno (USA), Fábio Leão (Brazil), Maryam Ashkanian (Iran), Jéssica de la Garza (Mexico), Claudio Correa (Chile), Manuel Mathar, Mérida Heliodoro Santos Sánchez, Rodrigo Hernández, (México), Julien Friedler (Belgium), Rogelio Raúl Meléndez Cetina (Mexico), Tom Henderson (UK), Alberto Ibáñez Cerda (Mexico), Verónica Meloni (Argentina), Miguel Ángel Ortega (Mexico), Carlos Humberto Ramírez Lara (Mexico), Aglaia Haritz & Zerrou Abdelaziz (Switzerland & Morocco), among others.
Coordinator of emerging curatorial projects including:
Blind Spot. Emerging curators: Paola Eguiluz and Silverio Orduña (Mexico).
Participating artists: Alejandra Martín Bonilla (Venezuela), Ana Belén Paizanni Vásquez (México), Benito González (Mexico), Ericka Fernanda Reyna Cervantes (Mexico), Rodrigo Jardón Galeana (México), Tania Solomonoff (Argentina).
A body on an island, in a river, inside a volcano, in a plaza, on a street, in a city. Emerging Curator: Amanda de la Garza (Mexico).
Participating artists: Ernesto Bautista (Mexico), Mónica Rodríguez (Puerto Rico), Isaac Torres (México), Andy Robert (Haiti).
Nomadic Limits. Emerging curators: Virginia Roy and Claudia Segura (Spain).
Participating artists Joaquín Segura (México), Levi Orta (Cuba), Pedro Torres (Brazil), Pınar Öğrenci (Serbia), Nuria Güell (Spain) Laura Marte, (Spain).
2014. On Curating and Biennials In, About and Around Latin American Art (Curatorial Workshop Coordinator), El Museo del Barrio & Academic & Public Programs – Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, NY, USA
Participating curators, scholars and art professionals: Pablo León de la Barra (Guggenheim UBS MAP Curator, Latin America), Jennifer Yee (Academic and Public Programs, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York), Rocío Aranda-Alvarado (Curator, El Museo del Barrio, New York), Stephanie Spahr LaFroscia (Senior Manager of Public Programs, El Museo del Barrio, New York) Carmen Ferreyra, (Independent Curator, New York), Julia P. Herzberg (Art Historian and Guest Curator Frost Art Museum Miami) Omar López-Chahoud (Artistic Director, Untitled Art Fair – Miami), Emiliano Valdés (Chief Curator, Medellin Museum of Modern Art), Isabela Villanueva (Curator, Sao Paulo Biennial).
2013. Florida 500 Years exhibition, Latin American artists, (Guest Curator), Mexican Cultural Institute and Latin American Consulates, Miami, Miami, FL, USA
Works by contemporary artists including Ada Balcácer (Dominican Republic), Jaime Calizaya (Bolivia), Lara Campiglia (Uruguay), Andres Ferrandis (Spain), Carlos Garcia de la Nuez (Cuba), Luis Garcia-Nerey (Puerto Rico), Roberto Huarcaya (Peru), Abraham Jimenez (Mexico), Emilio Martinez (Honduras), Carlos Masis (Nicaragua), Mauricio Mejia (Nicaragua), Fabio Mesa (Colombia) Hernan Miranda (Paraguay), Mariana Monteagudo (Venezuela), Gaston Ugalde (Bolivia), Simon Vega (El Salvador), Alejandro Vigilante (Argentina).
2012. Argentina, Invited Country (Special Projects Director & Curator), Merrill Lynch – Arteamericas
Art Fair, Miami Beach Convention Center, Miami Beach, FL, USA
Galeria Rubbers Internacional, 55 years (Argentina). Works by Joaquin Torres García, Xul Solar, Antonio Seguí, Nicolas Garcia Uriburu, Romulo Maccio, curated by Othon Castaneda
Solo Projects, Honored Artists: Eduardo Pla and Raúl Diaz, curated by Othon Castaneda
20 Miami-based Argentinean Artists, curated by Othon Castaneda
Selection process featuring 17 Argentinean galleries featuring artists such as Lucio Fontana, Julio Le Parc, Leon Ferrari, among others.
Special Projects conceived and organized by Othon Castaneda:
Traveling Opposite Paths: works by Carlos Garcia de la Nuez and Arturo Montoto. Atworks from The Museum of Art/ Ft. Lauderdale Collection, curated by Jorge Hilker Santis.
Exodus by Aluna Art Foundation, curated by Adriana Herrera.
Art Talks/Arte Conversa. Coordinated by Marijean Miyar. A series of conversations aimed at
engaging the fair’s public in the issues behind modern and contemporary art. Topics:
Documentary Photography; Collecting and Programming for a Multi-Ethnic Community; What
Language Latin American Art? Panelists: Tobias Ostrander, Carol Damian, Silvia Karman Kubiñá, Carlos Cruz-Diez, Thom Collins, among others
Branching Out, curated by Michael Margulies
Special project honoring Venezuelan master artist Carlos Cruz-Diez, who installed a monumental work at the new Miami Marlin’s Stadium. The Venezuelan artist donated one of his works to be auctioned at arteamericas, benefitting Miami Dade County’s Art in Public Places.
2011. Mexico, Invited Country, (Special Projects Director & Curator), Merrill Lynch – Arteamericas Art
Fair, Miami Beach Convention Center, Miami Beach, FL, USA
Galería Arvil. 40 years around the world (Mexico City). Exhibit including Mexican modern masters such as Alice Rahon, Gunther Gerzo, Nahum Zenil, Diego Rivera, José Clemente Orozco, David Alfaro Siqueiros, Rufino Tamayo and Francisco Toledo. Contemporary site-specific installations by Paloma Torres (Mexico City). Curated by Othon Castaneda
Invited Artist: Alejandro Santiago. Text by Jorge Contreras. Curated by Othon Castaneda
Special Projects conceived and organized by Othon Castaneda:
Central America: Civism and Violence, curated by Janet Batet and Clara Asitasarán
Tracing their Roots: The Three Marias. Works by Maria Brito, Maria Magdalena Campos-Pons and María Martínez-Cañas. Curated by Jorge Hilker Santis. Fort Lauderdale Museum of Art.
Selection process featuring 9 Mexican galleries. Artworks by Sergio Hernandez, Luis Hampshire, Fernando Andriacci, Miguel Madrigal, Pablo Castillo, Rivelino, Emilio Said, Abraham Jimenez, Andres Basurto, Joselyn Arellano, among others.
Art Talks. Organized by Julia H. Herzberg. A series of conversations aimed at engaging the fair’s
public in the issues behind modern and contemporary art. Topics: Biennials; Contemporary Art Scene; Private Collectors and Public Collections; Diverse Artistic Voices. Panelists: Alberto Grotessi, Consuelo Ciscar, Leonor Amarante, Josely Carvahlo, Roberto Juarez, Ana Tiscornia, Howard Farber, Ricardo Viera, Jose Luis Falcon, Alex Arrechea, Sergio Bessa, Clayton C. Kirking, among others.
2010. Haiti, Invited Country, (Special Projects Director & Curator), Merrill Lynch – Arteamericas Art Fair, Miami Beach, FL, USA
Special Projects conceived and organized by Othon Castaneda:
Works by Haitian master artist Edouard Duvall-Carrie and Philippe Dodard (Port-Prince).
Art Relief Fund Auction benefiting Haitian Cultural Alliance.
Art Talks. Organized by Julia H. Herzberg. A series of conversations aimed at engaging the fair’s public in the issues behind modern and contemporary art. Topics: Contemporary Art Scene; Architecture: museum design; Art market rebound?; Impact of art fairs in the world of Latin American Art. Panelists: Rene Morales, Isabela Villanueva, Bernardo Fort Brescia, William M. Singer, Yann R. Weymouth, Johm Wetenhall, Brian Schriner, Tate Dougherty, Diane Moss, Vivian Pfeiffer, Paul Morris, Irene Abujatum, among others.
Video Box. Selections from the Inter-American Biennials of Video Art. Inter-American Development Bank. Curated by Felix Angel.
2012. Latin American Art celebrating Bi-Centennial Independence Aniversaries (Guest Curator). Consulates of: Chile, Ecuador, Venezuela, Mexico, Colombia and Argentina. Mexican Cultural Institute, Miami, FL, USA
2012. Ruiz-Healy Collection, selected artworks (Assistant Curator), Mexican Cultural Institute, Miami, FL USA
2010. Rufino Tamayo, works on paper (Guest Curator), Miami Art Central (MAC) – Mexican Cultural
Institute, Miami, FL, USA
2009. Mexican Pavilion (Guest Curator) at Merrill Lynch-Arteamericas Art Fair, Miami Beach, FL, USA
Collaboration with CIFO, Cisneros Fontanals Collection, Miami, USA.
2008. Extended Boundary, Latin American and Caribbean Artists in Miami. (Research Assistant), Inter-American Development Bank Cultural Center, Washington, DC, USA
CONTRIBUTOR & EDITORIAL EXPERIENCE
2020. Editor. Gráfica del Golfo (Prints from the Gulf) developed by Tropical Art Lab, Mexico.
2015. Publisher. Biennial of the Frontiers Catalog (English and Spanish), Mexico – USA
2014. Co-Editor & Author, Argentinean Artists in Miami, General Consulate of Argentina in Miami, FL, USA
2012 – 2014. Editorial Coordinator, Arteamericas art fair Catalog, Miami, FL, USA
2010–2013. Contributing writer for art magazines in Brazil and USA.
Article. 30th edition Sao Paulo Bienal, ArtPulse Magazine (USA), No. 15, 2013
Interview to Curator Jorge Santis (Fort Lauderdale Museum of Art), ArtDistricts Magazine (USA), No. 18, 2012
Interview to architect Yan Waymouth (Salvador Dali Museum, Saint Petersburg, FL) ArtDistricts Magazine (USA), No 10.
Interview to Ricardo Pau-Llosa, art collector, ArtDistricts Magazine (USA), No., 2011
Miami contributor for ArteBrasileiros, Brazil (English and Spanish editions), 2011
Interview to Ricardo Pau-Llosa, art collector, ArtDistricts Magazine (USA), No. 7, 2010
2009. Design Consultant, Arte al Dia Editions, Miami, FL, USA