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| International Society of Artists | |
|---|---|
| Name | International Society of Artists |
| Caption | Logo of the International Society of Artists |
| Formation | 1978 |
| Founder | Maria Fernández; Paul Thompson; Akiko Sato |
| Type | Nonprofit artistic association |
| Headquarters | Paris, New York, Tokyo |
| Region served | Worldwide |
| Membership | Professional and emerging visual artists, curators, critics |
| Leader title | President |
| Leader name | Isabelle Moreau |
International Society of Artists
The International Society of Artists is a global nonprofit association that connects visual artists, curators, critics, collectors, and cultural institutions across major art centers such as Paris, New York City, Tokyo, London, and Berlin. Founded by a coalition of artists and curators with ties to institutions like the Museum of Modern Art, Tate Modern, and the Centre Pompidou, the Society promotes cross-border exhibitions, residencies, publications, and professional development linking figures associated with the Venice Biennale, Documenta and national arts councils including the Arts Council England and the National Endowment for the Arts. Its network includes collaboration with universities and museums such as Columbia University, Sorbonne University, University of Tokyo, Getty Research Institute, Smithsonian Institution, and the Louvre.
The Society emerged from late 20th-century dialogues among artists who had exhibited at events like the Venice Biennale, Whitney Biennial, and São Paulo Art Biennial, and who engaged with curators from institutions including the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles and the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao. Early leaders included figures connected to the Paris Opera, the Royal Academy of Arts, and artist collectives influenced by activists of the Civil Rights Movement and participants in the May 1968 events in France. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s the Society forged partnerships with festivals and galleries such as the Frieze Art Fair, the Armory Show, and the Biennale of Sydney, while alumni moved between residencies at places like Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, Cité Internationale des Arts, and Yaddo.
The Society's governance draws on board members from institutions including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, the National Gallery, London, and the Victoria and Albert Museum. Membership categories mirror structures seen at organizations such as the Royal Society of Arts and the International Council of Museums, and include fellows who have taught at Harvard University, Yale University, Princeton University, Goldsmiths, University of London, and School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Regional chapters coordinate with municipal cultural offices like the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Bureau of Arts and Culture, and the Ministry of Culture (France). The Society awards lifetime memberships often to artists associated with names like Marina Abramović, Ai Weiwei, Anish Kapoor, Cindy Sherman, and Jeff Koons.
The Society runs residency programs in partnership with institutions including the British Council, the Goethe-Institut, the Japan Foundation, and the Asia Society. Professional development workshops feature guest speakers drawn from MoMA PS1, Tate Modern, Centre Pompidou, and critics from Artforum, Frieze, and ArtReview. Collaborative projects have linked artists with communities involved in initiatives run by the European Cultural Foundation, the Open Society Foundations, and the Ford Foundation. The Society oversees mentorship schemes with curators from Serpentine Galleries, Stedelijk Museum, and educators from Royal College of Art.
The Society curates traveling exhibitions that have been shown at venues such as the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Serpentine Gallery, the Kunsthalle Zürich, Hong Kong Arts Centre, and the Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney. Exhibition themes often intersect with programming at events like the Skulptur Projekte Münster, Documenta, and the Liverpool Biennial. Its publication imprint releases catalogues, critical essays, and monographs with contributors affiliated with MIT Press, Oxford University Press, Routledge, and journals such as Art Journal and October (journal). Collaborative catalogues have included essays by curators from the Hayward Gallery, the CCA Wattis Institute for Contemporary Arts, and scholars from Columbia University Press.
The Society administers prizes modeled after awards like the Turner Prize, the Hugo Boss Prize, and the Praemium Imperiale, offering grants and residencies in partnership with foundations including the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the Ralph M. Parsons Foundation. Recipients have gone on to receive honors such as the Golden Lion (Venice Biennale), the Wolf Prize in Arts, and national orders akin to the Order of Arts and Letters (France). Jury panels have included members from the Royal Academy of Arts, the Serpentine Galleries, the Guggenheim, and critics from The New York Times and The Guardian.
Major partnerships include cultural exchanges with ministries and institutions like the Ministry of Culture and Sports (Spain), the Canadian Heritage, the China Cultural Centre, and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. The Society has co-curated projects with international biennials such as the Istanbul Biennial, the Gwangju Biennale, and the Sharjah Biennial, and collaborated with museums including the National Museum of China, the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts, and the Hermitage Museum. It has also worked with private foundations like the Rockefeller Foundation, the Carnegie Corporation, and corporate patrons paralleling collectors associated with Gagosian Gallery and David Zwirner.
Critiques of the Society echo debates surrounding institutions such as the Museum of Modern Art, the Tate Modern, and major fairs like Art Basel and Frieze Art Fair, including allegations concerning funding transparency tied to donors similar to those involved with the Panama Papers revelations and sponsorship disputes involving companies comparable to Shell or BP. Contentions have arisen over curatorial decisions reminiscent of controversies at the Whitney Biennial and debates over acquisitions comparable to those at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The Society has faced protests by artist groups associated with movements akin to Black Lives Matter and labor actions reflecting concerns raised by unions such as the Industrial Workers of the World in creative sectors.
Category:International art organizations Category:Arts organizations established in 1978