2019
GAM Manifesto
In August, a collage-type mural composed of six street art-style canvases, 150 meters long, containing iconic photos of citizen movements from different eras, was installed on the façade of the building.
The photographic montage, led by Gabriela Mistral, fantasizes about great cultural figures supporting the feminist struggle. Faces of renowned cultural figures linked to GAM, such as Isidora Aguirre, Ana González and Pedro Lemebel, coexist marching with actresses who have been on its billboard.
It was conceived as a mural fantasy where these characters, who have embraced social causes, meet in the middle of Alameda to demonstrate about today's Chile and support women's demands for equality and respect.
In the middle of Alameda, during 2019, 70 marches were recorded before the social outbreak, movements that spoke about inclusion, gender diversity, feminism, health, pensions, quality education, among other topics. Parallel to this, in GAM there was the internal problem of a scratched building with no budget to clean, therefore, a protection campaign was devised in harmony with the citizens, linking the stage of the theater halls with the street.
The campaign thus sought to create a new interaction with public life through a photomontage with content from the works of the GAM programming and social demands. Phrases from Mistral herself, such as “my indigenism made me hateful,” were joined to messages from real marches such as “no one asked me how the rapist was dressed” and also to some texts from the GAM plays themselves, such as “one day the whole past will make us ashamed” from the production Mistral, Gabriela (1945).
The mural featured works by iconic photographers such as Carlos Wagner, Javier Torres and María Eugenia Lorenzini with their record of feminist protests during the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet. They were joined by Rotmi Enciso, Maglio Pérez, José Parada, Pedro Marinello, Jorge Sánchez, Patricio Mello, Gustavo Milet and Nacho Rojas.
“The purpose of this project is to participate in social movements from a visual perspective, just as we do from the content we have in GAM programming. We believe it is important to highlight the messages that the artists have expressed in our rooms because they are absolutely connected to what happens in the Alameda.”
— Felipe Mella, executive director of GAM.
A Pre campaign began on August 19, with the creation of a promotional video with the premise “SOON” where the images of the mural that had not yet been installed were animated.
The installation was carried out that same week, remaining intact and without third party intervention. A video was created with the complete Manifesto installation, moments were also photographed and the campaign began on social networks and the press. After that, he only had a comment on Brazilian feminism, then new and more slogans were added as a symptom of the outbreak that would occur on October 18.
Although the mural was removed on the 22nd of that month by 2 people to make barricades, this campaign opened a new space for participatory expression on the façade of GAM Alameda, where urban artists later captured works related to the social situation.
Graphic pieces
#ManifiestoGAM on social networks
Dozens of photographs and videos were shared on social networks, reaching more than 300 thousand people. Mostly on Instagram, users began to create content from selfies and photos on the mural that were uploaded by tagging GAM, geolocating or posting with the hashtag.
#GAMManifesto in the press
“Mella said: I think that if Gabriela had been alive, she would have been happy marching in those marches. She was a woman who was quite contemporary for her time, advanced. She was defending herself long before against causes that today are causes of struggle, such as the gender issue. I think she would have been happy to have been on that canvas, and I think she would have been the first to approve of it.”
— Emol, September 10.
#GAMManifesto in New York
The experience of GAM and its Manifesto is highlighted even abroad. On January 16, 2020, the campaign is presented at the ISPA (International Society for the Performing Arts) in New York, United States, a meeting that brings together cultural managers from all over the world where they reflect on ideas, experiences and global contexts for cultural spaces.
Attendees praised this creation that reflects the constant dialogue between audiences, artistic programming and social movements.
open mall
The social outbreak of October 18 involved many issues for GAM: programming was suspended, the building closed for 11 days and time was taken to observe and rethink both the programmatic offering and the communication that had been established until now.
On October 30, the building had a symbolic opening with the presence of the Citizen Choirs, as well as town hall meetings and special activities due to the social context. All this new offer was supported by the communication campaign #AlamedaAbierta, which sought to position GAM as a meeting place for debate, conversation and reflection around the main axis where people and social demonstrations travel: Alameda Street.
Under a design inspired by the popular lyre, the image was created that accompanied the conversations and forums created under this concept, which also served for all the citizen activities that GAM hosted as a center open to the public.
Graphic pieces
“GAM had to reschedule its usual artistic offering this month. We open our rooms and spaces for citizen councils, we will host the Human Rights Institute to receive complaints, the Red Cross agreed to collaborate on our façade when they deem it appropriate, we are holding post-performance discussions of works with social content, and of course this initiative of open conversations, to be able to reflect and debate on pending and necessary issues for the country.”
— Felipe Mella, GAM executive director.
“At the cultural center they also created Alameda Abierta, a cycle of activities around the social context with reflections from panelists (Every Thursday) and artistic and other union councils. 'We will open new programmatic spaces to understand what is happening in diverse realities with a current perspective,' announces director Felipe Mella.”
— The Third, November 23.
Alameda open in the press