Seeing Art through New Eyes: A Conversation with Prof. Ricardo Monsalve
The curriculum of the master’s programme “Arts and Culture Management” contains a unique course The History of Latin American Art taught by Ricardo Monsalve, a professor from Chile. For two consecutive years, the course has been ranked by students as best in terms of new knowledge and opportunity for broadening horizons and understanding. The students of the programme interviewed the professor. In this conversation, Prof. Monsalve shared what it is like to teach Latin American Art at HSE, how students respond to new cultural perspectives, and why learning for him is “more about people than dates or facts.”
Learning Art in a New Environment
Teaching art history at HSE comes with a unique setting. The university is widely known for economics, policy, and social sciences, yet Prof. Monsalve described his experiences as “welcoming and positive.” He explained that rather than feeling like an outsider, he felt encouraged to bring together art, language, literature, and history in the classroom.
For him, teaching students who come from diverse academic backgrounds is not a challenge, but an opportunity. He is less concerned with “teaching” in the traditional sense and more interested in opening a new world to students, one they may not have encountered before. By doing so, students not only learn about Latin American Art but also begin to see their own fields of study from a fresh angle.
Latin American Art, Russia, and New Perspectives
Teaching The History of Latin American Art in Russia, and in English, creates a space for surprising and meaningful conversations. Prof. Monsalve shared that many students are unaware of the deep historical and cultural connections between Latin America and Russia. “Once these links are explored, students quickly realize how rich and alive these relationships are.”
He also noted that these discoveries work both ways. Just as Russian students learn something new about Latin America, he believes that people in Latin America sometimes overlook these connections as well. The classroom becomes a place of “shared discovery,” where different cultural views meet and expand understanding on all sides.
Natalia Perskevich, student of the programme “Arts and Culture Management”
Ricardo Monsalve has a very engaging teaching style. His seminars took place in a warm, friendly atmosphere that felt almost informal. He encourages active discussion and the expression of one’s own opinion, attempts to get to the truth, and reflections in the moment. Before the course, many of us had only a general idea of Latin American art and the history of Latin America, but now it feels like we’ve learned a lot of new and unexpected things. For example, I especially remember the topic about Inca construction technologies: how during a major earthquake in Cusco, the modern (for that time) buildings of the Spanish colonizers collapsed easily, while the Inca structures remained standing, as if firmly set in place.
From the Classroom to Real Life
Although many students are preparing for careers in museums and cultural institutions, Prof. Monsalve does not approach his teaching with career planning in mind. Instead, his focus is on the human side of learning. He wants students to connect with art as a living expression of people, history, and experience.
By first building curiosity and understanding, students naturally become better prepared for future work. Whether that means organizing exhibitions, traveling for cultural projects, or working with international collections. For him, “practical skills grow from genuine interest and open thinking, not from strict planning.”
Talking About Difficult Topics
Issues such as history, representation and who gets to tell certain stories are always present when studying Latin American art. Prof. Monsalve explained that simply teaching this subject already raises these questions, “even without directly planning for them.”
In his classroom, discussion is a shared responsibility. A good learning environment, he believes, “comes from both students and the teacher working together.” He treats students as adults, encourages honesty and makes it clear that disagreement is welcome and will never be punished. This creates trust and allows students to speak freely even on sensitive topics.
Learning as a Shared Experience
For Prof. Monsalve, “learning is not just about the subject itself; it is about what happens between people.” He cares less about students memorizing styles or movements and more about how art makes them feel, think, or question their own views.
He described his role, not as someone who gives answers, but as someone who helps students discover their own ideas. In this way, art becomes a reason to think independently, to ask “why” and to grow intellectually.
Artem Efimov, student of the programme “Arts and Culture Management”
I am genuinely amazed by this elective course by Professor Ricardo Monsalve! "History of Latin American Art" provides a comprehensive overview of Latin American art from Pre-Columbian times to the present, covering architecture, sculpture, weaving, ceramics and painting. Thanks to Ricardo Monsalve's great personal experience and unique way of teaching, this course has become very close and understandable to each of us. He stands out for his unique manner of teaching: deeply interested in the topic, he delivers material in a very friendly, approachable way that encourages open discussion and makes complex ideas accessible.
On the example of the Latin American region, this course proved to us that art is not just a period in history but a living dialogue across eras, cultures and historical events.
A Lasting Impact
When asked what he hopes students will remember, years after taking his class, Prof. Monsalve spoke about freedom of thought. He does not expect students to agree with him. Instead, he hopes they leave feeling more independent, more confident in their thinking, and more open to the world around them.
For him, that is the true success of teaching.
Interview conducted and prepared by
Jennifer Sosavi & Noelle Essien
Students of the Arts and Culture Management programme
