Mijail Rodrigo Bazoalto Medrano
2023 IVLP Impact Award Project: Pandemic Funeral: Finding Hope and HealingBolivia
Rodrigo "Miro" Bazoalto is a storyteller, visual artist, graphic designer and entrepreneur. He founded his own creative studio in 2011 where he works with a collective of illustrators, designers, writers and artist of all sorts on projects for the creative industry or the “orange economy.” Serving as a local reference in the world of comics and creativity, he also organized exhibitions and conferences in several cultural institutions. Miro has other cultural ventures including “Comic Bolivia,” which is a non-profit community and website dedicated to the promotion of Bolivian comics and authors. It also create events and generate spaces for new artists to sell their products. Miro also support the undertakings of the orange economy and creative industries such as the Paranoia School. As an artist involved in his community, he has helped to manage different initiatives in his city such as the creation of comic competitions and cultural spaces like the “Café Cómic” and the “Integral Course of Graphic Narrative.” Miro is always helping new young artists by promoting trainings, production spaces and activities.
2023 IVLP Impact Award Project: Pandemic Funeral: Finding Hope and Healing
The "Pandemic Funeral: Finding Hope and Healing" project is a community-centered art exhibition and educational initiative aimed at addressing the emotional and psychological impact of the pandemic. Based in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, the project seeks to engage and support individuals and communities affected by the pandemic, with a particular focus on young artists.
Through a curated collection of comics, fanzines, and artwork created by emerging artists from Comics de Impacto, the exhibition will serve as a visual representation of the collective experiences and resilience during these challenging times. The exhibition will consist of three distinct parts, each representing elements of Bolivian funeral rituals and imagery.
"I am driven to leave a lasting impact on the lives of those who visit the exhibition, offering them a sanctuary to mourn, heal, and rediscover their innate resilience. May this project serve as a guiding light, reminding us all, that even in our darkest moments, there is always a flicker of hope, ready to ignite our spirits and guide us towards a brighter tomorrow." - Mijial Rodrigo Bazoalto Medrano
2022 IVLP Impact Award Project: Creative Residencies - Stories of a Pandemic
The residencies were designed for young artists to create web-comics. The artists received studio space, mentoring, equipment and tools to create original comics. The project encouraged young artists to think and create original art based on their current reality. This promoted the production of comics within a framework of social impact, which opening up significant conversations with the audience about the pandemic. One objective was to make the resident artists known as important and relevant creators in their community, and this project supported their empowerment as artists and creators. Please visit www.comicsdeimpacto.com to read the webcomics created throughout this project.
"They made me think and reflect on the stories I tell and develop…before I thought about making comics just for fun, but now I understand that apart from being something fun, they have a certain impact on the community.” - Project Participant
IVLP Exchange Experience
Mijail was a participant in the IVLP Project Promoting Social Change through the Arts in 2021, organized by the U.S. Department of State and FHI 360. He was a participant in the IVLP Project Promoting Social Change through the Arts in 2022, organized by the U.S. Department of State and the Mississippi Consortium for International Development.
Mijail's exchange experience led him to develop his IVLP Impact Award Project: "My IVLP experience taught me the value of empathy, the importance of embracing diversity, and the power of storytelling. It ignited a fire within me to use my artistic skills and platform to create a space for reflection, connection, and healing."
U.S. Communities Visited in 2022
Colorado Springs, CO; Washington, DC; New York City, NY
U.S. Communities Visited Virtually in 2021
Washington, DC; Orlando, FL; Albuquerque, NM; Minneapolis, MN; Santa Fe, NM