Meet Carolina Alvarez-Mathies | Deputy Director, Dallas Contemporary

We had the good fortune of connecting with Carolina Alvarez-Mathies and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Carolina, what habits do you feel play an important role in your life?
My personality is quite action oriented, which has always helped me embrace challenges as opportunities and figure out creative solutions to problems. I possess a knack for innovation and always try to nurture a mentality that goes beyond the obvious to really push boundaries and think outside the box. I have tried to do this as much as possible for all organizations I have supported. Before joining Dallas Contemporary, I was the Director of External Affairs at Creative Time, where I drew on my communications background to innovate development strategies, which resulted in greater cross-pollination across departments and collaborations across disciplines. I am bringing a similar approach to my role at Dallas Contemporary.

Art inspires curiosity and has the power to bring us together, so I also feel it’s very important to nurture a hunger for learning, especially from younger generations, embrace humility and nurture kindness.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
As a woman born in El Salvador, I am most proud of my Latin American roots and connections to my home. Both sides of my family are full of entrepreneurs, and I witnessed my grandfather and father work tirelessly through a 12 year civil war and social unrest. Their work ethic and perseverance taught me important values in my personal and professional life — to always lead with integrity, stick to my moral code and embrace legacy as a tool for innovation to name a few

My first job was with Venezuelan fashion designer Angel Sanchez. After two summer internships, he saw my raw potential and took a chance on hiring me as his press director straight out of college. It was through Angel that I got to know El Museo del Barrio, New York City’s leading Latin American arts museum. After joining the museum’s Junior Council, I later went on to become its Head of Communications. So the start of my career really all circles back to having a great support system in my community

I wouldn’t say my path has been easy, but it certainly has been a lot of fun (and hard work). I’ve had the opportunity to collaborate with brilliant artists, who inspire us, challenge us and comment on the world we’re living in. I’ve learned to nurture these connections and embrace creatives – across all disciplines – as an important source of inspiration.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I love Texas and encourage my friends to visit all the time! I graduated from Texas Christian University and have really enjoyed re-exploring the DFW area after returning from 11 years in New York.

Where to Stay:
The Thompson Hotel opened recently and it has quickly become my favorite property in town — from a great breakfast at The National to a spectacular pool and cocktails at Catbird featuring DJ sets by my dear friend Jason Burt (Electrophunk) — it’s hands down the place to stay!

What to See:
Naturally my must-sees in the city are art related — Dallas’ cultural offerings are superb. From institutions to great young galleries, the art scene in Dallas is something worth a trip! My top recommendations are Dallas Contemporary, Nasher Sculpture Center, DMA, P.A.O. Projects, Oliver Francois Gallery, 12.26 Gallery and Erin Cluley Gallery.

Where to Eat and Drink:
Beverly’s has a great vibe, super friendly staff – don’t miss their caviar latkes! Javier’s is a Dallas institution for Mexican food equipped with a bustling cigar bar, while The Charles offers chic digs and superb food that’s great for sharing and is super close to Dallas Contemporary, so it’s perfect for an early dinner or post-museum visit. If you’re into Japanese food, you can’t miss TeiAn — their omakase is spectacular and so are their soba noodles. Angelo’s is a great BBQ joint. It’s worth the 45-minute drive to Fort Worth, plus you can pop into The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth for a visit prior.

On drinks… One Nostalgia Tavern will make you want to be a regular, this is a great watering hole with its no BS drinks and karaoke nights. Bowen House is Dallas’ triple threat combining ambiance, cocktails and food. And Ayahuasca Cantina is a Great Oak Cliff hangout, offering a killer mezcal list inside a hidden dim-lit bar (try their chicharrones en salsa verde!).

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I am fortunate to count on a great community of individuals and organizations that have contributed to my success and continue to inspire and challenge me. That said, I’d love to give a shout out to Y.ES Contemporary, a non-profit that creates opportunities for contemporary artists working in El Salvador and beyond. I have served on the advisory board of Y.ES since its inception in 2015 and am so grateful to its founders Robert Wenett and Mario Cader-Frech for making me a part of their vision. There is a great deal of talented artists of Salvadoran descent who are now garnering increased global recognition — part of that is linked with the work Y.ES continues to do to put artists on the map through art loans to institutions, direct links of artists to curators, writers and of course the foundation’s grants program.

Website: www.dallascontemporary.com

Image Credits
1) Portrait of Carolina Alvarez Mathies. Photo by Caroline Lacey. 2) Exterior of Dallas Contemporary. 3) Installation View of ‘Tomoo Gokita: Get Down,’ 12 June – 22 August 2021. Image by Kevin Todora. Courtesy of Dallas Contemporary. 4) Francisco Moreno, Girl Holding Orange Calcite, 2020. Acrylic on panel on view at Oliver Francois Gallery. 5) Carolina with Y.ES Contemporary Founders Robert Wenett and Mario Cader-Frech. 6) Paolo Roversi: Birds. Limited edition monograph, 2021. 7) Yoshitomo Nara, Banging the Drum, 2020. Open edition print. 8) The Charles, Dallas.