The Art Fair and the AMCA reaffirm Latin American talent

Both projects initiated by María Cecilia Ruiseco bring together the works of Panamanian artists and those from the entire region, in order to support those most in need and continue to promote the national and foreign creative mind

The Museum of Latin American and Modern Art of the Old Town (AMCA) opened its doors as a space that brings together the works of painters with the aim of demonstrating "the diversity and creativity of the region," according to its website. Twelve days before its opening (on October 28, 2024), a few blocks from the building, the fifth and most extensive edition of the Art Fair had begun, which will run until April 21 of this year.
Both projects have been orchestrated by the Colombian and art lover María Cecilia Ruiseco, who arrived in Panama six years ago. Her intention was to lead a “quieter” life, but art, which knows no rest, showed her another path, one that would fill her with ideas to help the national talent that for years has wanted to be recognized.
“I have always loved art,” she said to ‘La Decana’ while receiving tourists and nationals who came to the fair to see and possibly acquire one of the many works that were presented there. “I studied history as well as business administration at the university. I exercised my degree in the industrial sector, but I always saved to collect works, travel and see the world. I wanted to visit museums and churches and know everything about art,” she added.

A lover of art from a very young age, Ruiseco always dreamed of doing something that would contribute to this form of expression, as well as to those who dedicate their lives to the current. At first she tried to follow that mission in her native country, but “I didn’t find support,” she said. Upon landing in Panama, she was welcomed by Brother Javier Mañas, who showed her an empty room inside the Casco Antiguo so that she could put together something with the passion that had pursued her for years.

While her mind was hatching a plan, Ruiseco began to work as a volunteer at the Casco Door Project and in November 2021, due to the high number of works that were going to be presented, she offered that room to present them there.
“In January 2022, many artists called me, since they wanted to have a place to exhibit and sell their works,” she said. “Father Mañas lent me the room again, but on the condition that I would volunteer at the Nuestra Señora de La Merced church and that the money raised would go to both the artists and the religious institution,” she explained.

This is how the first edition of the Art Fair began, which began to grow and raise funds. This edition brings together Panamanian artists such as Sharon Him, Elena François Navarro, Achu Kantule, the Zonian Katy Ashcroft, Alan Uribarri and Jimara Coronado. The prices of their works range from $50.00 to $300.00 and include works on canvas, cardboard paper and small sculptures.

According to the fair administrator, they want to have the event present “during the international Holy Week.” This is because “last year, Casco received 300,000 tourists of which 70,000 visited the sector on Holy Thursday. This can be an opportunity for more people to learn about our fair and be able to buy at it.”

The fair also has a “Solidarity Bazaar” where Ruiseco sells rosaries or other objects at more accessible prices for the public. The money raised is used to buy personal hygiene items that Father Mañas takes to the prisons where he offers mass.
The Birth of AMAC

After the fair reached a large audience of vendors and faithful artists who wanted to participate annually, Brother Mañas obtained a building in the Convent of Santo Domingo and it became the Colombian's task to build the art museum, the one she had so desired. "I only had one condition: to work with Saúl Servin as an architect," she said.

Mañas gave them both a couple of paintings that she had, among them one by Alfredo Sinclair, works by Aristides Ureña, Leonel Méndez and Alejandro Mañas García. "We couldn't agree on how to hang the paintings, but the opening date was October 28 and we had to finish before that," she said. And so it was. On the agreed date, AMCA opened its doors to the public.

The museum presents two currents of Latin American modern art: "the constructive universalism of Joaquín Torres García and the kinetic artists from Venezuela and Argentina who moved to Paris and joined that movement there," explained Ruiseco.

However, there are other currents of art on the walls of the museum, such as surrealist, hyperrealist and expressionist art. In total, the museum presents 128 works to its visitors, but Ruiseco explained that there are still 800 more that have not been able to be exhibited to the public.
“We want another building in the Casco that will allow the exhibition of the other works,” the administrator told La Estrella de Panamá. “
At the moment, we are working to have the financial resources to have that second structure,” she added.

Regarding the money raised by the entrance tickets to the art building, Ruiseco explained that part of it is destined to support the museum and the other to cover the costs of the fair.

Ruiseco believes that the factor that separates the AMCA from any national museum is its mission to project only Latin American art. “We want to give Panamanians the opportunity to learn about art from the region at an international level,” she explained. “There are many artists in the sector who are related to Anglo-Saxon or European professionals, but for some reason those from Latin America are not as well known or are not given the merit they deserve.”

In addition, the Colombian aims to give tourists or foreigners a vision of the union that exists between Latin America and the United States or Europe “in terms of an exchange of art where their representatives are exploring the same style or school, regardless of their nationality.”

“We want to achieve equality of value in artists regardless of what part of the world they come from,” she concluded.
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