Antonio Berni in Buenos Aires
Many artists from Buenos Aires represented the city in different ways and in different times, but my favorite artist in this theme is ANTONIO BERNI, especially in his series of paintings about an imaginary character called Juanito Laguna.
This boy lived in a shanty town in the suburbs, but Berni paints him reaching or leaving the city-monster.
As passionate as he was, he wanted to tell us what Juanito sees and finds there, and as if he were using words, he included an amazing amount of waste making up a collage and assembled pictures together with the brushstrokes defining his character. In this way, not only is the reality “told” but is materially present in the paintings. It is real, it can be felt, and it can even be smelt.
Cans, garbage, empty containers, bottle tops, nails, old shoes, in an utter disorder show what is left behind in a consumer society and surround Juanito, who walks among them, sits on them or watches the moon from them.
This chaotic area of waste is opposed to more structured areas where the city and its high buildings are present showing the impact of modernity. Also, neat blonde blue-eyed children stand in stark contrast to the main character, referring to our European ancestors or maybe to a more political view of the reality.
Buenos Aires city, by the hand Antonio Berni’s brushes and creativity, is attractive and mysterious at the same time.
You must come and enjoy the city, and meet Juanito Laguna in the collections of the Museo Nacional de Buenos Aires ( Buenos Aires National Museum ), Museo de Arte Moderno ( Modern Art Museum ), Museo Sívori, Museo de Arte Latinoamericano and in the latest Museo Fortabat.
Filed under Art, Buenos Aires | Comment (0)Graciela Ieger
Another painter, Graciela Ieger, shows Buenos Aires in a different way. With almost photographic images, this talented artist in activity represents places with their own identity, such as the financial centre or the historical area of the city, spotted by its inhabitants by marks that tourists and visitors will eventually learn to decode. Sights that remain almost intact through time, which frequently contain amazing buildings, as heritage of brighter times of the Argentine history and architecture.
The painter’s point of view to represent them is the absence, the silence, the emptiness.
She chooses the beginning or the end of the day, when these urban landscapes are pedestrian-free, when the lights strike on the architecture, and we can delight ourselves. Later these places will be invaded by people walking, tracing out different routes that join and cross, giving movement and complexity to this area which used to be deserted.
Individual and collective stories will weave in these calm and deserted streets, an intriguing collection of lived lives, dreams to come true. The artist picks the space as a meeting point, but before the meeting. Everything is ready to be seen and your look will match up with Graciela Ieger’s look to revalue each element, each detail.
Her pure technique fools us, showing us almost a photograph. However, her mark is present in every brushstroke, tidy, refined, synthetic, but full of feelings and expression. Its colour is vibrant, with strong lights and contrasting shadows.
When you visit Argentina and my city, Buenos Aires , you will be able to meet this painter in person.
La Boca
The most picturesque neighborhood of Buenos Aires, La Boca, has been represented in the painting by many artists. By the end of 1920, an artistic group called “Grupo de La Boca” was formed. VICTOR CUNSOLO is the artist I like the best in this group. He was born in Italy, but he moved to Argentina in his adolescence.
The paintings I include belong to his maturity stage, when he leaves impressionist characteristics to start building definite and synthetic structures, static, silent and without characters. The essential of the expressive motif appears and, even though it is kept in the figuration, the objects acquire a “modern” touch because of the influence of the Metaphysical painting of Italian origin.
Cunsolo’s is one of the many possible ways to capture this special landscape, almost unique of Buenos Aires, which is the neighborhood of La Boca. Quinquela Martin’s Museum is located in the neighborhood, where other artists that worked on the same themes are exhibited.
'Calle de La Boca'
'La Vuelta de Rocha'
Xul Solar
XUL SOLAR (1887-1963), born in Argentina , was an extraordinary painter of the fantastic, esoteric and playful world. However, this artist also painted Buenos Aires city. When he returned from Europe in 1924, where he spent many years immersed in the vanguard movements, he found a modern futurist city, sometimes dreamed of or made up, but which was also identifiable.
The landscapes, the climate and the sights of the big city have filled his work since he introduced architecture in his paintings in 1920.
He started his approach with geometrical figures and perspectives with different points of view. A unique Buenos Aires was developed, as if it were in a fantasy world, built on plans and geometrical shapes where every-day life takes place.
The port and the neighborhood, together with a project of facades for a city in Tigre , display his experience and the time he spent studying Architecture at the university.
In very small size works, almost miniature, and with simple techniques such as watercolors and tempera, Xul produced wonders of warm and bright chromatism, with delicate transparencies.
His work can be appreciated at the Museo Xul Solar, Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires, Museo Fortabat, among others.
The freshness of his work of art will move you when you visit Argentina.
'Dos Casas'
'Casas en alto'
'Barrio'
'Ciudad Lagiu'
Enrique Burone Risso
Enrique Burone Risso was born in 1956, and he is currently working on works related to urban and popular themes. He is well-known for his original creations.
With an obvious love for his city, the artist starts a dialogue with the traditional buildings of Buenos Aires “grasping the particular synergy radiating from each of them and the magnetism that exceeds its mere use”, as the academician Guillermo Whitelow wonderfully explains.
He joins what is called the “Critical Reality”, showing a reality altered in its shapes. He exaggerates, deforms, compresses with a drawing of a single surrounding line and a very personal style. The bright colors of his palette help turning the piece into something humoristic and extravagant.
He defines himself as an expressionist because he destroys reality to re-build it with his personal views.
In his exhibition “ Buenos Aires , Horizontal and Vertical”, he displayed images of the Corrientes Avenue , Florida Street and emblematic buildings of my city. His works of art are exhibited in the main museums and private collections, but he also loves to receive visitors in his workshop.
'Torre de los Ingleses'
'Edificio República'
'Edificio Kavanagh'
'Edificio Alas'