Getting to Know Mexico
A$5,945
of $5,000 targetyrs ago
Successful on 4th Oct 2012 at 2:00AM.
Help fund our documentary and children’s workshops as part of our artist residency in Mexico.
The Lowdown
Hi, we’re Sarah Firth and Jason Leong and we are Australian artists. We’ve been selected for an artist residency with Arquetopia in Puebla, Mexico. We’ll be heading over there for 2 months (Oct-Nov) to run children’s comic-drawing workshops and make a documentary about Mexican people and culture. As the famous Él Dia de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) holiday will be held during this time, it is likely that it will be a point of focus for our work.
Our artist residency is with Arquetopia, a not-for-profit foundation which promotes development and social transformation through contemporary art with a non-traditional, culturally diverse and multidisciplinary approach. They are working closely with us to set up the relationships with the museums and other community and government organisations that we will need to make our project successful. Along with giving us access to an amazing studio and screening space to produce and show our work.
1st: The Workshops
We love comics – not the typical action kind, but the more pensive, powerful kind (graphic novels, such as “Maus”, “Persepolis”) – and we believe that they are an underestimated medium for personal, emotional and cultural expression. Sarah has run a series of these workshops in Australia (for the Melbourne Immigration Museum and the Council of Greater Dandenong) – introducing children to professional graphic artists, teaching them the fundamentals of drawing comics and how they can use the format as a language to raise topics which can be otherwise difficult to discuss. We have made a proposal to the Imagina Children’s Museum in Puebla, who have told us that they are very excited and will be supporting us in running these workshops with them in Mexico.
2nd: The Documentary
Our main focus in Mexico will be to produce a new documentary that explores facets of Mexico and its people. Through meeting beautiful and friendly Mexican people in Australia, we were curious to understand more about their culture and way of life and reconcile this with the often negative view of Mexico perpetrated by the mainstream media. In addition, we are struck by The Day of the Dead festival and its portrayal of death and how different it is to the way we perceive and relate to life, death and memory in Australia. We will be there while this important cultural observance occurs and it will provide context for our documentary and the kind of intimate conversations we aim to have with people.
These two fascinating aspects will provide the entry point for our investigation. It is important for us that the documentary be authentic, and to this end we will allow the narrative direction to emerge from our experiences and the voices of the people.
Why we need your help
We kindly ask for your support in paying our residency fees with Arquetopia. In return Arquetopia will provide us with basic food, lodging, language training, cultural research and crucial project support. These fees will be close to $8,000 but we are asking for your support with the first $5,000 of this. Not only will any money that you pledge go directly to supporting a not-for-profit organisation, it will ensure we can cover other areas such as local interpreters, equipment and any unforeseen production costs.
Any money that we raise over this $5,000 amount (fingers crossed!) will go towards the rest of our lodgement fees (up to $8,000), and anything beyond that will become an in-kind donation to the Arquetopia Foundation.
Thanks for your time and we look forward to your support!
Sarah and Jason
For more information:
(including the lyrics to our rap video!)
The Lowdown
Hi, we’re Sarah Firth and Jason Leong and we are Australian artists. We’ve been selected for an artist residency with Arquetopia in Puebla, Mexico. We’ll be heading over there for 2 months (Oct-Nov) to run children’s comic-drawing workshops and make a documentary about Mexican people and culture. As the famous Él Dia de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) holiday will be held during this time, it is likely that it will be a point of focus for our work.
Our artist residency is with Arquetopia, a not-for-profit foundation which promotes development and social transformation through contemporary art with a non-traditional, culturally diverse and multidisciplinary approach. They are working closely with us to set up the relationships with the museums and other community and government organisations that we will need to make our project successful. Along with giving us access to an amazing studio and screening space to produce and show our work.
1st: The Workshops
We love comics – not the typical action kind, but the more pensive, powerful kind (graphic novels, such as “Maus”, “Persepolis”) – and we believe that they are an underestimated medium for personal, emotional and cultural expression. Sarah has run a series of these workshops in Australia (for the Melbourne Immigration Museum and the Council of Greater Dandenong) – introducing children to professional graphic artists, teaching them the fundamentals of drawing comics and how they can use the format as a language to raise topics which can be otherwise difficult to discuss. We have made a proposal to the Imagina Children’s Museum in Puebla, who have told us that they are very excited and will be supporting us in running these workshops with them in Mexico.
2nd: The Documentary
Our main focus in Mexico will be to produce a new documentary that explores facets of Mexico and its people. Through meeting beautiful and friendly Mexican people in Australia, we were curious to understand more about their culture and way of life and reconcile this with the often negative view of Mexico perpetrated by the mainstream media. In addition, we are struck by The Day of the Dead festival and its portrayal of death and how different it is to the way we perceive and relate to life, death and memory in Australia. We will be there while this important cultural observance occurs and it will provide context for our documentary and the kind of intimate conversations we aim to have with people.
These two fascinating aspects will provide the entry point for our investigation. It is important for us that the documentary be authentic, and to this end we will allow the narrative direction to emerge from our experiences and the voices of the people.
Why we need your help
We kindly ask for your support in paying our residency fees with Arquetopia. In return Arquetopia will provide us with basic food, lodging, language training, cultural research and crucial project support. These fees will be close to $8,000 but we are asking for your support with the first $5,000 of this. Not only will any money that you pledge go directly to supporting a not-for-profit organisation, it will ensure we can cover other areas such as local interpreters, equipment and any unforeseen production costs.
Any money that we raise over this $5,000 amount (fingers crossed!) will go towards the rest of our lodgement fees (up to $8,000), and anything beyond that will become an in-kind donation to the Arquetopia Foundation.
Thanks for your time and we look forward to your support!
Sarah and Jason
For more information:
(including the lyrics to our rap video!)
Sarah's website: http://www.sarahthefirth.com
We will think most highly of you and send you good vibes!
5 chosen
Est. delivery is Oct 12
We will send you a thank you email to say... THANKS!
1 chosen
Est. delivery is Dec 12
We will send you personalised digital postcard via email!
7 chosen
Est. delivery is Dec 12
We will send you a physical (snail mail) postcard while we're in Mexico!
17 chosen / 23 available
Est. delivery is Dec 12
We will post you a small Day of the Dead or Mexican folk art souvenir!
18 chosen / 22 available
Est. delivery is Dec 12
You will receive a special personalised, printed thank you photo of us with local children from the cultural comic workshops!<br /> <br /> AND<br /> <br /> Your name will be acknowledged in our documentary!
4 chosen / 36 available
Est. delivery is Dec 12
You will receive an original, limited edition sketch or comic print drawn by Sarah from our travels in Mexico!<br /> <br /> AND<br /> <br /> We will post you a small Day of the Dead or Mexican folk art souvenir!<br /> <br /> AND<br /> <br /> You will be acknowledged in our documentary!
2 chosen / 8 available
Est. delivery is Dec 12
You will receive a small Mexican-style papier-mâché sculpture made by Sarah!!!<br /> <br /> AND<br /> <br /> You will receive an original, limited edition sketch or comic print drawn by Sarah from our travels in Mexico!<br /> <br /> AND<br /> <br /> We will post you a small Day of the Dead or Mexican folk art souvenir!<br /> <br /> AND<br /> <br /> You will be acknowledged in our documentary!
1 chosen / 4 available
Est. delivery is Dec 12
You will receive THREE original, limited edition sketch or comic prints drawn by Sarah from our travels in Mexico!<br /> <br /> AND<br /> <br /> We will post you a small Day of the Dead or Mexican folk art souvenir!<br /> <br /> AND<br /> <br /> You will be acknowledged in our documentary!
0 chosen / 5 available
Est. delivery is Dec 12
You will receive a hand-made piñata in a design of your choosing, full of goodies!!<br /> <br /> AND<br /> <br /> You will receive an original, limited edition sketch or comic print drawn by Sarah from our travels in Mexico!<br /> <br /> AND<br /> <br /> We will post you a small Day of the Dead or Mexican folk art souvenir!<br /> <br /> AND<br /> <br /> You will be acknowledged in our documentary!
0 chosen / 5 available
Est. delivery is Dec 12
We will write and record a short original rap song for you and post it on the Tumblr and Facebook page for the project!<br /> <br /> AND<br /> <br /> We will post you a small Day of the Dead or Mexican folk art souvenir!<br /> <br /> AND<br /> <br /> Your name will be acknowledged in our documentary!
20 chosen / 0 available
Est. delivery is Dec 12