INSIDE BY PORTFOLIO 2020

74 GALLERY F rom its earliest days, Rolex has had a deep commitment to global arts and culture. Founder Hans Wilsdorf, an entrepreneur and philanthropist, had a goal of fostering excellence, performance, and continuous improvement in everything Rolex does. Transmission of knowledge is a cornerstone of the company–whether in watchmaking or its support for the arts and culture. Based on the belief that art is a continuum, Rolex launched its Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative in 2002 to assist in generational knowledge sharing between the world’s greatest artists. Artistic leaders are paired with emerging artists, giving them time to learn, create, and grow. The program exemplifies Rolex’s long-standing dedication to individual excellence. P A R T N E R S I N A R T Rolex continues to celebrate cross- generational artistic exchange with the announcement of mentors and protégé for its 2020-2021 Rolex Arts Initiative. R O L E X Younger artists of exceptional promise (the protégés) are provided with an opportunity to spend one-on-one time with globally recognized masters in a variety of disciplines (the mentors). Today, the fields highlighted in the program include architecture, dance, film, literature, music, theatre, and visual arts. There is also a variable “open category” that allows for mentorship to take place in fields outside of those listed. Mentors and proteges are asked to interact for a minimum of six weeks, though many spend considerably more time together during the mentoring year. Every two years, a new advisory board of distinguished artists and arts practitioners suggests and endorses potential mentors, who, once selected, are asked to develop a profile of the type of protégé they would like to work with. Young artists cannot apply directly to the program. Instead, Rolex assembles a nominating panel for each discipline, and members identify suitable protégé candidates. After the candidates’ applications have been received, the panel selects three finalists. The mentor is asked to meet the finalists and select the protégé. Over nearly two decades, the Rolex Arts Initiative has evolved into a community of artists embracing different generations, cultures, and disciplines. To date, over 50 of the world’s greatest artists have served as mentors to an equal number of protégés. Protégé Kyle Bell with film mentor Spike Lee Visual arts mentor Carrie Mae Weems