Mario A. Caro is a researcher, curator, and instructor of contemporary Indigenous art. His research topics include the representation of Indigenous cultures within the museum; the visual production of an “aesthetics of nostalgia” within photographic practices; art historical methodologies and the production of colonial discourses; and, most recently, essentialism and Native art practices. He has also curated various national and international exhibitions and was the curator of exhibitions at Alaska House, New York in Soho.
In terms of his academic experience, he completed his doctoral studies at the Amsterdam School for Cultural Analysis, University of Amsterdam, and has taught at various institutions, including The Evergreen State College, Otis School of Art and Design, and Indiana University, where he held the post of Public Scholar for Civic Engagement.
His work within the academy complements his endeavors to further global cultural exchange. He is on the board of various organizations focused on art residencies and is the current president of Res Artis, an international network of art residencies focused on promoting the worldwide mobility of artists.
Dr. Caro has published widely on the history, theory, and criticism of contemporary art, and is the founding editor of Invisible Culture: An Electronic Journal for Visual Culture. He is strongly committed to combining his interdisciplinary scholarship with his community-oriented organizing and curating activities.