20180208_MUN_ViajesMCS201819

Seven destinations and more than 2,600 kilometers to learn and enjoy art. This is the route already traveled by the 24 students of the first promotion of the Master in Curatorial Studies, the first official postgraduate program in curatorial programs of study taught in Spain. Thanks to these curatorial outings, the students, who come from ten different countries, have the opportunity to get to know different models of curatorial management , visit exhibitions and talk personally with curators and artists, who share their experience.

This unique tour complements the training they receive at the Museo Universidad de Navarra where, in addition to theoretical classes, they develop the Philosophy learning by doing through Museo Lab. In this subject internship they learn about the organization and functions of the different areas that make up the Museum from its professionals.

To date, students have traveled to Santander, Bordeaux, Barcelona, Bilbao, San Sebastian, Logroño and the Navarrese town of Alzuza. Fatima Vicente, a student of Master's Degree and graduate of Philosophy, values these curatorial trips very positively because she considers "it is essential to investigate the context, the curatorial environment. It is also important to know another subject of discourses and proposals because there is not only the institution where you are". In addition, thanks to these trips he has had the opportunity to "learn first-hand what it means to be an independent curator".

Art in an underwater base

Their favorite destination has been Bordeaux, where they visited the CAPC Museum of Contemporary Art; the MLS gallery, where they had the opportunity to talk with artists and cultural managers and other art world professionals; the Museum of Decorative Arts; and the exhibition Medio-Aqua, located in an underwater base on the outskirts of the city. "I was fascinated by how they had taken advantage of that space and reflected on the topic of water through the various works. It was the last place I expected to find a exhibition", explains the 23-year-old Catalan.

Bordeaux has also been one of the favorite outings for Ian Quirós, 26-year-old Costa Rican and graduate in Art and Visual Communication: "I think traveling is fundamental for Master's Degree. Seeing how museums and galleries are managed, in addition to learning about conservation issues, is very good".

For her colleague Claudia Toledo, a graduate in Plastic Arts from Ecuador, the most enriching trips were the ones to Santander, San Sebastian and Bilbao. "I liked being able to talk to the directors, learn how they work inside the Museum. It is very interesting. In addition, these trips have allowed me to get to know Spanish art better," explains the 27-year-old student. In Santander, they visited the Juan Silio, Siboney and José de la source galleries, as well as the Botín Center and the Fluent curatorial platform.

contact direct with artists

To date, students have traveled to Santander, Bordeaux, Barcelona, Bilbao, San Sebastian, Logroño and the Navarrese town of Alzuza. Fatima Vicente, a student of Master's Degree and graduate of Philosophy, values these curatorial trips very positively because she considers "it is essential to investigate the context, the curatorial environment. It is also important to know another subject of discourses and proposals because there is not only the institution where you are". In addition, thanks to these trips he has had the opportunity to "learn first-hand what it means to be an independent curator".

The trip to San Sebastian took them to visit the Heritage Collections Center of the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa, in Irun and, already in the capital of Gipuzkoa, the Tabakalera cultural center. The tour ended in the town of Astigarraga, where they visited the programs of study of the artists Manu Muniateguiandicoetxea and Javier Balda.

This last quotation was one of the best encounters of the trips for Aldo Bianchi, a 39-year-old student at Master's Degree and director of the Museo de la Universidad de Guatemala: "The meeting with the artists was very enriching because there are many models of management that do not apply to your institutions or to your country. The contact with the artists gives you more ideas to be a good curator". He also enjoyed the visit to the CaixaForum in Barcelona, where they also toured the Museum of Contemporary Art (MACBA), the Tàpies Foundation and ADN Gallery.

This program of curatorial outings also included the visit to the Whürt La Rioja Museum and the Jorge Oteiza Foundation-Museum in Alzuza. The students will soon travel to Madrid to participate in ARCO - the International Contemporary Art Fair of Madrid - and will make the great curatorial trip to New York.