Dr. Mario A. Caro (Colombian Mestizo) is a researcher, curator, and critic of art who has published widely on the history, theory, and criticism of contemporary Indigenous arts. He has taught graduate courses at Indiana University, New York University, and, most recently, at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the Art, Culture, and Technology Program.   

His work within the academy complements his sustained engagement with various Indigenous communities to promote the professional development of Native artists. In particular, his work with the Longhouse Education and Cultural Center has been devoted to furthering opportunities for artists to advance their practice. This work has included collaborating on the production of various publications as well as the curation of a wide spectrum of exhibitions.  

This work has also been international in scope. When the Longhouse began their engagement with Māori artists, Dr. Caro began to investigate further possibilities for global cultural exchanges between Native communities. He joined various boards of organizations focused on art residencies and eventually became the president of Res Artis, a nonprofit international network of residencies focused on promoting the worldwide mobility of artists.  

The IAIA MFA in Studio Arts Program is a Low-Residency Program -- with two intensive on-campus residency periods per year (Summer and Winter) -- on the IAIA campus in Santa Fe, New Mexico. At the end of each nine-day on-campus residency, students will be paired with a Master Artist Mentor with whom they will work one-on-one, virtually, during the following 16-week semester.