Rolex Arts Weekend: The mentor and protege arts initiative spearheaded by Rolex

Held in September, the Rolex Arts Weekend was co-presented by Rolex – through its Mentor and Protege Arts Initiative – and the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), America’s leading multiarts centre.

The multidisciplinary arts festival showcased public conversations, performances and installations featuring the works of outstanding young artists from around the world, who are mentored by a panel of acclaimed creatives, including American filmmaker Spike Lee, and songwriter, actor, playwright and filmmaker Lin-Manuel Miranda, in a two-year programme.

Each of these artists is paired with an expert from diverse fields and backgrounds, prompting dialogues spanning generations, cultures and disciplines. For example, Camila Rodriguez Triana, a Colombian mixed-media artist who was mentored by prominent American contemporary artist Carrie Mae Weems, explored her personal heritage as a Mestiza woman in Colombia.

Meanwhile, Lin-Manuel Miranda, known for works like Broadway musical Hamilton and the movie Tick, Tick… Boom!, mentored Agustina San Martin, who produced a visceral, multimedia piece that juxtaposed elements of music and film, and was projected onto “clouds” that were floating in the darkened space.