25 October 2023

The Latin America Centre of Asia-Pacific Excellence (CAPE) is celebrating the launch of its new Creative Collaborations website in Auckland with an event on 2 November featuring a who’s who across New Zealand’s creative relationship with Latin America.

Creative Collaborations is an online resource mapping the partnership between Aotearoa New Zealand and Latin America’s creative economies, revealing the projects, people, and institutions at the forefront of our creative engagement with Latin America.

Nicole Freeman, CAPE Programme Manager says “By showcasing the diversity and prosperity of these partnerships, Creative Collaborations aims to spark new relationships and creative initiatives.

“Aotearoa New Zealand has had a strong history of collaboration in the artistic field with Latin America, whether that be through exhibitions such as Space to Dream: Recent Art from South America through to ground-breaking augmented reality work such as Joseph Michael’s The Majestic Saumama.”

The launch in Auckland features four fantastic guest speakers: Dr Zara Stanhope, Dr Claudio Aguayo, Joseph Michael, and Igor Botelho Bernardes, who will all talk about the creative connections between Aotearoa New Zealand and Latin America, and their particular experiences and collaborations.

“The collaborative synergy between New Zealand and Latin America blends the rich creative spirit of Latin America with the innovative nature of the New Zealand culture, both guided by indigenous perspectives,” says AUT’s Dr Aguayo. “This unique fusion not only enriches design but also paves the way for boundless possibilities, unlocking the potential for cross-cultural inspiration and a brighter, more interconnected future in the realm of critical creative design.”

The Auckland launch of Creative Collaborations takes place at the Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki on Thursday 2 November from 5:30 – 7:30pm. Attendance is free, but please register for catering purposes.

Dr Zara Stanhope is a curator, writer, editor and an adjunct professor at Auckland University of Technology School of Art and Design and RMIT, Australia. She has curated over 50 exhibitions and managed art galleries in Australia and New Zealand, including Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki (2013 to 2017) and Te Pātaka Toi Adam Art Gallery (1999 to 2002). Since 2021, Zara has been the director of the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery and Len Lye Centre in New Plymouth.

Dr Claudio Aguayo is a senior digital innovation advisor at Auckland University of Technology (AUT). Claudio specialises in applying new digital tools and systems to education, to improve people’s learning experiences and outcomes in multiple sectors and disciplines. Claudio is also the director of research and development at AUT’s App Lab, which designs cutting-edge digital technologies

Joseph Michael blends art and science, pushing the boundaries of what technology can achieve. In 2019, his Voices for the Future installation showed powerful visuals of an iceberg slowly crashing down the side of the United Nations General Assembly building in New York. More recently, his work has evolved into the largely uncharted area of digital twinning natural environments including the acclaimed Amazon – Raised Up Sky, which toured nationwide, and The Majestic Samaúma an interactive visual of a real samaúma tree, which was scanned using drone photogrammetry.

Igor Botelho Bernardes is a Brazilian living in New Zealand who is a regeneration and social impact entrepreneur, innovation strategy specialist, organizational consultant and speaker. Founder and CEO of Ferttil Ecosystem and Help New Zealand. These two ventures focus on solving climate change through a regenerative business strategy of commercializing products and services that positively impact the world. Igor was a producer on two of Joseph’s projects.