La Nación

Hannah Sloan explores how to spread Costa Rican art abroad. Can contemporary art from our country circulate better in other countries? Curator and advisor Hannah Sloan put it to the test in 'Seguimos', an exhibition in Los Angeles

By Erika Martin Arroyo/ info@satisfactory.life, August 16, 2024, 01:30 p.m.

How can contemporary art from Costa Rica and Central America circulate better? Multiple answers have been offered to this recurring question, and some spaces suggest possibilities. Located in the Escalante neighborhood (San José), Satisfactory is an independent project committed to supporting artistic production, dialogue, and critical thinking in the region. Its premise is that art is a common territory for acting together with others, building bridges, and erasing borders.

The project has evolved to adapt to the needs of the context and opted for collective programming in 2024. It has forged alliances with collectors and projects that support its training, production and art residency programs. One of its most recent links is with curator and advisor Hannah Sloan, who founded and directs Hannah Sloan Curatorial & Advisory since 2015.

In order to expose this alliance and contextualize its links, Erika Martin (director of Satisfactory) interviewed the curator and advisor about her perceptions and interests in Costa Rican art.

Sloan comments on her most recent exhibition project Seguimos. Arte contemporánea en Costa Rica , presented in Los Angeles (United States) from March 30 to May 18, 2024.

Hannah Sloan initially founded her project to exhibit work by emerging and mid-career multidisciplinary artists, with a focus on women artists from the Los Angeles area. Courtesy of Hannah Sloan.

–We met last year because of your interest in meeting contemporary Costa Rican artists; I prepared a tour of studio visits that included emerging artists, mid-career artists, and a couple more established ones. I understood that you had been familiarizing yourself with Costa Rica for a couple of years, researching the visual arts ecosystem and meeting the artists. What have you discovered or what has stood out about such a small scene compared to a city like Los Angeles?

–Overall, I have found an exceptional level of contemporary artists working in Costa Rica and, as in Los Angeles, I consider alternative and artist-run spaces to be crucial for the development of art. Despite the scarcity of opportunities for artists in Costa Rica, artistic experimentation is abundant and some of the most striking works I have seen are the least commercially viable. I have been impressed by their awareness of international art trends, while producing works specific to their context and identity as Costa Ricans.

“There is a camaraderie within the art community and an eagerness to share ideas and support each other that I find refreshing and makes me optimistic about the direction of the art scene. I have found a very receptive and collaborative community of artists, collectors, and curators, which is essential to connecting with the local scene in a meaningful way. Accessing a growing network of allies is vital to my ability to discover and introduce Costa Rican artists to the U.S. art market.”

“Art collectors Esteban Guardia and Pamela Corrales, curators like Susana Sánchez and yourself, as well as Cero Uno, Abra Espacio and La Salita Temporal have supported me a lot, not only by introducing me to artists but also by providing me with space to work, helping me with logistics and giving me advice. The eagerness to collaborate throughout this entire process has been incredible. To an outsider, the art scene may seem small; however, once some doors were opened, I realized that there is a great amount of talent that seems to grow day by day.”

Hannah Sloan meets with Costa Rican artists to explore new avenues for their dissemination. Courtesy of Hannah Sloan Curatorial & Advisory.

–In May, Seguimos. Arte contemporánea en Costa Rica closed , with the participation of 13 Costa Rican artists who explore media such as painting, photographic installation, video art, engraving and sculpture. I found this selection interesting, especially for its intergenerational nature, which we rarely see in local exhibitions. How was the selection process and how did you perceive the Los Angeles scene receiving the exhibition?

–At one point I was planning an exhibition of abstract works by women because I think that in the next few years we will see a renewed interest in abstraction in the art market. However, after two years of research, plus the assistance of the gallerist Craig Krull, who hosted my exhibition, I focused on conceptual works such as those by Priscilla Romero, Javier Calvo and La Cholla Jackson.

“We selected artists whose strong perspectives would tell a compelling story about what artists are thinking and experiencing in Costa Rica today. Before opening, I knew it was a good decision because of the attention we started receiving. The competition to stand out in the growing art world of Los Angeles is extreme, so the great response we received from collectors, museum curators, the general public, and the press was encouraging.

“Artists Matías Sauter and Katrin Aason have exhibitions scheduled for 2025 in Los Angeles, and more are likely to follow. I also learned that even in an environment like Los Angeles, where we have an educated art community, there is a lot of ignorance about Costa Rica and the kind of art that is produced. Many visitors came with preconceptions about what Central American art is like and expected to see traditional crafts.

“Some were surprised by what they saw and I hope it opened their minds to the nuances of contemporary Costa Rican art. I realized that audiences in Los Angeles are particularly receptive to queer artists and there was an immediate appreciation for the brave work that Alina González, Valiente Pastel and Sauter create around the themes and identities of the LGBTQ+ community.”

The exhibition 'Seguimos: Contemporary art in Costa Rica' was presented in Los Angeles (United States) between March 30 and May 18, 2024. Courtesy of Hannah Sloan.

In this photo works by La Cholla Jackson, Lucía Howell and Adrian Arguedas.

–There are currently very few contemporary art galleries in San José, and our spectrum of collectors is limited, so an exhibition like Seguimos is urgently needed . This exhibition allowed Costa Rican art to cross borders and connect with a more lucrative market. Do you think there is genuine interest and market potential for this art in the U.S.?

–When we talk about contemporary art galleries, I don’t want to overlook the importance of artist-run spaces in San José, such as Cero Uno or La Salita Temporal, or small commercial galleries like DeCerca. But to answer your question, yes. At an institutional level, interest in contemporary art from Central and South America is growing rapidly in the U.S., and that alone is creating a market for works from these areas.

“During Seguimos , I learned that the J. Paul Getty Museum is about to hire a curator specializing in Latin American art for its photography department. A curator from the Santa Barbara Museum of Art visited our exhibition because they were looking for works by Latin American women for a show in the fall. We can safely say that we are in a time of unprecedented possibilities for contemporary Latin American artists.”

“American collectors still need to learn to confidently buy works from Costa Rica and other Central American countries, and that is a process that takes time, but I think we are moving in a healthy direction where more artists can be successful, here and around the world.”

Partial View, Craig Krull Gallery I Seguimos, 2024 I In this photo Priscilla Romero and Alina Gónzalez. 

–How would you suggest local artists or independent spaces can tap into this market? How can we build connections with creators and institutions in the US that, in turn, strengthen the local art community, which is underfunded?

–Cultural exchange is essential for anyone who wants to enter the art market abroad. When I visit most of the galleries in Costa Rica, I see a general absence of artists from outside the country. On the one hand, I fully understand that, given the scarcity of opportunities for artists in the country, the focus should always be on regional artists. However, inviting artists from outside Central America is essential to establish links and expand resources abroad. It is time to take advantage of the explosion of interest in Latin art around the world.

“Fostering the flow of people and ideas in and out of Costa Rica will be a key factor in expanding its opportunities. Both institutions and artist-run spaces should open their doors more frequently to international curators, managers and artists. I encourage local artists to pay close attention to what is happening in metropolitan art centers such as Los Angeles, New York and Mexico, through social media, and be prepared to take advantage of opportunities when they arise.

"Encouraging the flow of people and ideas in and out of Costa Rica will be a key factor in expanding its opportunities. Both institutions and spaces run by artists should open their doors more frequently to international curators, managers and artists."

“There are plenty of residency programs in the US, and many offer scholarships; I recommend seeking out these opportunities. If in-person exchanges aren’t feasible, focus on building virtual connections. I recently hosted an Instagram Live exchange with Costa Rican artist Isaac Loría, during which he showed off the studio he works in. The response from viewers in Los Angeles was so positive that we are preparing an Instagram Live series in which I will introduce Costa Rican artists and cultural managers to my Los Angeles audience.”

“I suggest using social media tools, which are free and accessible, and can create opportunities for greater visibility, not only for artists, but also for curators and arts educators. Finally, it is important to maintain a dialogue with people who, like me, have a specific interest in artists from the region. The more I know and get to know, the better prepared I will be to make connections on their behalf.”

Curator Hannah Sloan met with Costa Rican artists such as Adrián Arguedas. Courtesy of Hannah Sloan.

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