The promotional video for the Martí­n Sastre Foundation for Super-Poor Latin American artists features ironic and humorous commentary on the global art circuits established since the ’90s in which the inclusion of Latin American artists became a possibility in the mainstream and hegemonic art world. "Adopt a Latin American Artist" is the slogan of this foundation which offers an international program of sponsorship for artists from the periphery who normally do not have the economic means of access to international circuits. The Foundation is not unlike international charities that propose the long-distance adoption of a child in third world for a modest price a year. However, it highlights a set of values regarding status and fame which have become the local currency of the contemporary art world.

Sastre’s solo exhibitions include: 2004: Site Gallery, Yorkshire, England. 2002: Casa de América. Madrid; 2000: Colección Engelman-Ost, Montevideo, Uruguay. His group exhibitions include: 2004: Sao Paulo Biennial, Brazil; ARCO 04 Project Room, Madrid; 2003: Havana Biennial, Cuba; Prague Biennale, Czech Republic; 2002: Brooklyn à Paris, Chez Valentin, Paris; Dead or Alive, Break 21, Ljubljana; NUEVA/VISTA Videokunst aus Lateinamerika, IFA. Bonn, Stuttgart/ Berlín; You Think I’m Superficial, Palm Beach Institute of Contemporary Art, Florida; 2001: El Final del Eclipse: Arte de América Latina en la transición al Siglo XXI, Salas de la Fundación Telefónica, Madrid/ Salas de la Diputación, Salas del Instituto de América y de La General, Granada/ Museo de Arte Iberoamericano, Badajoz/ Universidad de Salamanca, Spain; Museo de Arte Moderno, Carrillo Gil, Mexico; Todos x Natalia, Centro Cultural Recoleta de Buenos Aires/Palacio Municipal de Montevideo, Uruguay; III Bienal Internacional del MERCOSUR; Brasilia/ Porto Alegre, Brazil; 2000: Big: Quisiera ser grande, Momenta Art, New York; Vivencias, Generali Foundation, Vienna; Interférences, CICV Pierre Scheffer, Belfort, France; Trampas Electrónicas, Museo de Arte Moderno, Buenos Aires.

Curator Anamarí­a Forteza speaks to Sastre in 2004 about his recent video work.

bio source: Prague Biennale