Candidates: 2025 SHARP Election

Standing for: Director of Transnational Affairs

    • Marina Garone Gravier
    • Name: Marina Garone Gravier
    • Candidate Statement:
      I am pleased to announce my interest to participate in the work of SHARP as Director of Transnational Affairs. I want to tell you that I have been a member of the organization since 2011, and since 2014 I have been the representative for Mexico. I had the opportunity to attend the meeting in Rio de Janeiro, the first one held in Latin America; I participated as a panelist in the international congress held in Antwerp in 2014, and I was co-organizer (representing UNAM and the National Library of Mexico) of the meeting held in Monterrey (Mexico). Those face-to-face activities -and the attentive reading of the organization's mailing list- has allowed me to be in contact and meet numerous colleagues from all over the world, I have been able to share information with them, contribute some opinions and hear others, but above all learn a little of how much is being done around the world of books at the international level. I believe, however, that in the historical moments we are living in worldwide, the importance of associations such as ours, organizations that claim to have an international perspective, have additional challenges and a great set of opportunities. Organizations of global scope must privilege all possible channels of dialogue, solidarity, tolerance, understanding of diversity and respect. In all fields of knowledge and culture, these values are not debatable, they are a constant and resounding necessity. In addition to the duties outlined in the bylaws for the role of Director of Transnational Affairs, in accordance with the Board, some of the opportunities that may open up for SHARP in this complex scenario are: to strengthen linguistic diversity in communications and institutional actions; to stimulate, promote and disseminate the organization of activities in virtual format, with free and open access among members, as well as the exchange of information on the topics that interest us. I believe that the experience I have been able to develop and obtain over the years in the various management and coordination positions I have held (co-founder and co-director of the Latin American Network of Graphic Culture, 2017-2022, co-representative for Argentina of Association Typographique Internationale, AtypI, 2012-2014 and currently as Scientific Advisor in the Gender and Publishing line of the Regional Center for Book Promotion in Latin America and the Caribbean -Cerlalc) will be useful for the performance of the Director of Transnational Affairs, if so determined by the members in the election. Bio PhD in Art History (UNAM). Full researcher at the Instituto de Investigaciones Bibliográficas (UNAM), where she founded the research groups: Seminario Interdisciplinario de Bibliología (2012) and Mujeres y Estudios del libro (2024). She co-founded the Latin American Network of Graphic Culture (2017). She is a corresponding researcher at the Institute of American Art and Aesthetic Research, University of Buenos Aires, Member of the National System of Researchers of Mexico, level III and full member of the Mexican Academy of Language. Her research interests are: history of the book, publishing, typography and the visual and material culture of the book in Latin America, and the relationship between book history, bibliography and gender. She is author, co-author, coordinator and editor of more than 15 books, and more than 100 chapters and academic articles. She has received awards such as the Award for Best Doctoral Thesis in Social Anthropology (CIESAS and UV, 2011), the García Cubas Award (INAH, 2013), the Distinction of the CANIEM to the “Publishing Initiative of the Year 2020” for “Cultura Editorial en México. Sound Stories”. She has received grants such as the John Alden Memorial Fellowship and Maria Elena Cassiet Fund (John Carter Brown Library, 2018) and the Mark Samuels Lasner Fellowship in Printing History (APHA, 2021).
    • Danne Ojeda Hernandez
    • Name: Danne Ojeda Hernandez
    • Candidate Statement:
      My multidisciplinary background, commitment to excellence, work ethic, creativity, collaborative nature, and adaptability made me well-suited for the position of Director of Transnational Affairs. I aim to contribute to SHARP’s strategic direction by strengthening the organization’s transnational collaborations and partnerships while ensuring continuity in the established work practices, activities, and grants. I have a longstanding experience in teaching, research, and service at public universities. Currently, I am a tenured Associate Professor at the School of Art, Design, and Media, Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore, where I have worked since 2008. In this position, book history, book production, book exhibition, and design have been central to my teaching, research, publishing, and practice. As an author and writer, I have developed strong relationships with editors, publishers, and academic institutions worldwide. Since 2019, I have served as an award industry judge for the Singapore Book Publishers Association, assessing categories such as Best Book Cover Design, Best Custom Publishing and Best Marketing Campaign. Living in Singapore and being part of a research-intensive university like NTU has provided me with opportunities to travel internationally for professional purposes. This experience has deepened my understanding of the geopolitical and cultural dynamics within the Asia-Pacific region and how they influence international relations. In addition, I am multilingual with Spanish as my native language. This skill will be invaluable in my possible future strategy as a Director of Transnational Affairs, especially in fostering connections with the Hispanic and Latin American regions to start meaningful initiatives for collaboration and the advancement of scholarly work. The former aligns with SHARP’s mission of supporting inclusivity across diverse backgrounds and identities. The Asia-Pacific, Hispanic, and Latin America regions are home to historically shaped and culturally hybrid communities that often face challenges in accessing mainstream resources and achieving visibility and representation. In summary, I bring a broad and experiential perspective that will facilitate the development of innovative transnational approaches and initiatives among the regular tasks that need to be nurtured by the Director of Transnational Affairs, such as Regional Liaisons, Lightning Seed grants, and Scholarly Association Liaisons. I look forward to the opportunity to contribute to SHARP’s mission, objectives and work alongside a diverse and committed team! Bio Danne Ojeda is an Associate Professor in the School of Art, Design, and Media, Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore. Danne has longstanding experience in academia. In 2017, Danne was a Visiting Scholar in the Book and Manuscript Studies programme at the University of Amsterdam (UvA), The Netherlands, (Jan–May), where she curated two exhibitions on book design, one based on her research findings from the UvA Special Collections. At NTU, a leading interdisciplinary university, Danne has collaborated with diPerent Schools and faculties, mentored undergraduate and postgraduate students, and developed award-winning creative works. Danne has published, lectured on and curated exhibitions related to contemporary art and (book) design. She is the author of the book Diagonal. Essays on Contemporary Cuban Art (Jan van Eyck Editions, Maastricht, 2003, NL), and co-editor of the anthology Trazos discontinuos. Antología crítica sobre las bienales de arte en Asia Pacífico [Discontinuous strokes. Critical anthology of art biennials in the Asia Pacific], (Almenara Press, 2021, NL). A selection of her essays on book history scholarship can be found here: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Danne-Ojeda?ev=hdr_xprf