Rolex Arts Weekend

Celebrating a Global Creative Community With Free Events in New York
10 to 13 November 2007

Participants include Julie Taymor, John Baldessari, Pinchas Zukerman, Tahar Ben Jelloun, and Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker

September 20, 2007 – A series of free public events will be held in New York from November 10 to 13, 2007 to celebrate the artists of the Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative. Established masters in the arts – including William Forsythe, Anthony Minghella, and Lynn Redgrave, among others – will participate with Rolex Protégés in this citywide series of public performances, talks, screenings, and readings of new work at such venues as The New School’s Tishman Auditorium, Lincoln Center’s Walter Reade Theater, and Joe’s Pub at the Public Theater.

The Arts Initiative pairs established masters with emerging artists from around the world for a year of collaboration in six disciplines and is unique in its international scope and investment in individual artists. The program gives young, undiscovered artists the rare opportunity to learn directly from masters in their fields.

The 2006-2007 Rolex Mentors and Protégés are:
Dance: Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker (Belgium) and Anani Dodji Sanouvi (Togo)
Film: Stephen Frears (U.K.) and Josué Méndez (Peru)
Literature: Tahar Ben Jelloun (Morocco/France) and Edem Awumey (Togo)
Music: Pinchas Zukerman (Israel/Canada) and David Aaron Carpenter (U.S.A.)
Theater: Julie Taymor (U.S.A.) and Selina Cartmell (U.K.)
Visual Arts: John Baldessari (U.S.A.) and Alejandro Cesarco (Uruguay)

The Rolex Arts Weekend brings together artists who have participated in the Arts Initiative since its launch in 2002, celebrating a growing global creative community. Planned events include:

• An exhibition of a new collaborative print series by renowned visual artist John Baldessari and his protégé Alejandro Cesarco. A conversation with the artists will be moderated by Hans-Ulrich Obrist. This event will take place at Murray Guy in Chelsea.

• Screenings of new work by current film protégé Josué Méndez, also featuring the work of past protégés Lara Foot Newton (theater, South Africa) and Federico León (theater, Argentina). This event will take place at the Walter Reade Theater and will be introduced by Carlos Saura.

• A symposium, Bridging Cultures, Generations and Market Forces, at The New School’s Tishman Auditorium, moderated by Kurt Andersen, novelist, cultural critic, and host of Public Radio International’s Studio 360. Emerging and iconic artists will discuss the dynamic balance of the creative and the commercial, the value of intergenerational teaching, and the power of art to transcend boundaries. Panelists include John Baldessari, William Forsythe, Amitav Ghosh, Joseph Melillo, Anthony Minghella, Lynn Redgrave, and Anna Deavere Smith.

• A musical performance by current protégé David Aaron Carpenter (violist) and past protégée Susan Platts (mezzo-soprano, Canada), introduced by renowned violinist, violist and conductor Pinchas Zukerman. This event will also take place at Tishman Auditorium.

• A performance of new work at Dance Theater Workshop by all three Rolex dance protégés: Anani Dodji Sanouvi, Junaid Jemal Sendi (Ethiopia), and Sang Jijia (China)—introduced by current mentor Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker and past mentor William Forsythe.

• A reading of new work by award-winning novelist Tahar Ben Jelloun and his protégé Edem Awumey, in French (English translation provided). Writer and cultural historian Pierre Assouline will moderate a discussion. The event will take place at Joe’s Pub.

• A moderated discussion with mentor Julie Taymor, her protégée Selina Cartmell, and previous theater protégés Lara Foot Newton and Federico León. All participating protégés are working in both theater and film. This event will also take place at Joe’s Pub and will be moderated by Robyn Archer.

More information on the Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative can be found at http://www.resnicowschroeder.com/media.asp?P=1&id=235.

A total of 179 participants from 39 countries have participated in the Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative. This includes 54 advisors and 93 nominators who have helped select the protégés. Through the in-depth involvement of all participants, the Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative is creating an artistic community that spans generations, borders, and disciplines, spurring ongoing creativity beyond each individual mentor-protégé relationship. Mentors and protégés forge powerful and lasting connections through the mentoring process, leading to a ripple effect in the communities and fields of all the participants.

Rolex Arts Weekend event partners include: Public Radio International’s Studio 360 with Kurt Andersen from WNYC (studio360.org), Marian Goodman Gallery, the Film Society of Lincoln Center, The New School Writing Program, Eugene Lang College The New School for Liberal Arts, Asia Society, La Maison Française NYU, and the Canadian Consulate in New York.

Rolex and the Arts

The Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative broadens Rolex’s long tradition of supporting the arts worldwide. Rolex has developed close ties with many of today’s greatest artists, including Cecilia Bartoli, Renée Fleming, Sylvie Guillem, and Yo-Yo Ma. These relationships have led to Rolex’s sponsorship of international events such as Operalia, founded by Rolex ambassador Plácido Domingo, and the Verbier Festival & Academy for top classical artists.

In addition to fostering the arts, Rolex continues its commitment to the pursuit of excellence through the Rolex Awards for Enterprise, established in 1976, which support individuals who are advancing human knowledge and well-being. For each series of the Awards, a total of five Laureates and five Associate Laureates are chosen in the fields of science and medicine; technology and innovation; exploration and discovery; the environment; and cultural heritage.

Press Contact

Christina French Houghton
Resnicow Schroeder Associates
212-671-5162
choughton@resnicowschroeder.com