Monthly Newsletter - November 2008

Buenos Aires is known as the “Paris of South America” for its European charm and cosmopolitan feel. However, the Argentine capital follows in the footsteps of Europe’s art center with its very own Night of the Museums. While events of this magnitude are usually reserved for the European art scene, this year marked the fifth anniversary of this event in Argentina. With the highest attendance in years, this all night tour was another reminder that there is an abundant amount of sights to see in the Argentine capital, even when one wanders away from the more touristy districts.

The 15th of November was a celebration of culture in the Argentine capital; that Saturday hundreds of thousands of art lovers partook in one of the cities most unifying annual events. The Night of the Museums allowed porteños and visitors to explore 120 different museums and galleries free of charge. The event took place from 7 pm until 2 am and brought 454,000 people together to take advantage of the city’s wealth of culture. From Argentine art aficionados to novice tourists just happening to visit the city, Buenos Aires pulsated with the curiosity and excitement of all who attended.

This year, one did not even need step inside a museum to be bombarded with art. Abre tus Ojos, a video exhibition, was projected in strategic places around main port of the country. The sheer size of the city and variety of art expositions made it impossible to see the whole event. Visitors had the privilege of hopping from different museums free of charge at night. Afterwards, many observed the cultural events that were held throughout the city. Fritz Lang’s 1927 film, Metropolis, with musical accompaniment by the National Film Chamber Orchestra was one of the night’s most lauded events. Held in Munich, a former bakery, this event attracted 14,000 spectators. The night ended with music by DJ Javier Zucker as morning sunlight crept into the sky. This mixture of new and old reinforces Minister of Culture Hernán Lombardi’s desire that this year’s event would highlight the contradictions of modern society in this historic city.

For next year, Latin America for Less recommends visiting the lesser known galleries. While Buenos Aires’ MALBA is world renowned for its collection of modern art, big name galleries and museums tend to be filled with more guests. The day includes free public transportation and routes are well marked for visitors to galleries in lesser visited districts.

This year the neighborhoods of Barracas, Mataderos, Caballito and Boedo took part in the festivities. Some believe that the invasion of participants to lesser frequented parts of Buenos Aires such as these is an indication of the event’s ever broadening social meaning. Some porteños were surprised that art had the power to attract visitors to poorer or less picturesque neighborhoods for this event. The success of this event in non-tourist districts may suggest that most parts of Buenos Aires, even if they are poor, are becoming safe enough for visitors from all parts of the globe. Others believe that the exposure of poverty in these barrios to international travelers will force the government to pay more attention to these areas. Hopefully, the Night of the Museums will serve not only as a momentous cultural event, but will also improve living conditions for all porteños.

By
Alex Seeger

Written by Alex Seeger. If you have any questions or comments about this article, please email him at alex@latinamericaforless.com. If you have would like to write to an Argentina specialist, please write to kelly@argentinaforless.com.

Sources:

La Cultura tambien vive en la noche
La ciudad en la que el arte abra paso entre la miseria
Este mes, el arte tendra su noche

PAST NEWSLETTERS:

• Newsletter October 2008
• Newsletter September 2008
• Newsletter August 2008
• Newsletter July 2008
• Newsletter June 2008
• Newsletter May 2008
• Newsletter April 2008
• Newsletter February 2008
• Newsletter January 2008