This gallery contains 14 photos.
Originally posted on suemtravels:
Colca Canyon Peru My trek into Peru’s Colca Canyon exceeded expectations! The canyon’s beauty is indescribable and experiencing the magic of its isolated grandeur was the best. February is off-season for trekking in the canyon but…
Claudia Svetliza Dancers
After checking out several street fairs, including San Telmo and Retiro, I found paintings in Recoleta at Plaza Francia. Along with paintings from Peru and Chile, they will be great additions to my home gallery!
Artist Claudia Svetliza started selling her paintings at Plaza Francia 15 years ago. After a divorce she needed to support herself and learned to paint.
I bought two of her paintings. One is a street scene in San Telmo – Café Viejo Almacén (Old Warehouse). Café Almacén is a famous traditional tango parlor. It’s in the historical area of San Telmo on a corner that “harbors the soul of the mysterious city of Buenos Aires“.
Claudia Svetliza Bandoneón Player
The history of Almacén goes back to 1933 when a Russian woman nicknamed “La Volga” turned the building into a tango bar frequented by sailors. Argentine singer Edmundo Rivero started his career at Almacén.
Another of Claudia’s paintings is of two elegant tango dancers. I also found a beautiful pen and ink of a bandoneón player. The artist spoke zero English and he didn’t understand my Spanish, so there’s no background info. It’s a lovely piece with gorgeous detail and will be a joy to look at every day.
Juan Carlos Castagnino
Benito Quinquela Martín
The Buenos Aires Flea Market in Palermo is the largest antiques market in town and surely an antique dealer’s heaven. It’s a place where you can find unique furniture, paintings, collectibles, and more. I spent part of the day there but didn’t find what I was looking for – a painting by a local artist. I’ve seen paintings that I like at street fairs but wasn’t ready to buy. Now I am.
Antonio Berni
Carlos Alonso
There are many talented artists in Buenos Aires. I’d rather buy directly from them, not through a gallery. I’m looking for a street scene that reminds me of this time in Buenos Aires.
Benito Quinquela Martin
On the way back to Recoleta, I stopped at the Dinamica Galeria in Palermo. Dinamica is a popular, stylish gallery. They process images using the latest methods.
Horatio Politi
Also discovered Galerias Witcomb in Recoleta, the oldest gallery in Buenos Aires. They feature some of the most talented and best known artists in Argentina:
Mercado de las Pulgas Flea Market
Horacio Politi
They gallery had some beautiful pieces. They’re preparing for a special Picasso show that starts on Monday, June 1st.
I will try the street fairs in Recoleta and San Telmo again this weekend and see what’s there. There’s one piece at the Whitcomb that’s of interest. Most of their paintings are over my budget.
The friendly dealer I spoke with at the Witcomb mentioned two interesting and well-known Recoleta museums. They are on the agenda for the weekend:
Néstor and Cristina Kirchner
May 25th is an important day for the Argentine people. It’s the date in 1810 when a junta took over from the Spanish Viceroyalty and the country declared independence from Spain. I knew Buenos Aires would celebrate their independence day in a big way but didn’t know exactly what to expect.
25th de Mayo Marchers
Monday morning I went into the city center to find a local artist – Bastién – and maybe buy a painting. It was quiet in Recoleta and I took the subway which was surprisingly empty. I figured people were hanging out at home taking it easy on the national holiday. Imagine my surprise stepping out of the Cathedral subway station and being engulfed by a boisterous crowd of thousands in the streets – yikes!
La Cámpora
It wasn’t clear if people were getting an early start celebrating Argentina’s independence from Spain or reacting to current political events in Buenos Aires. This is an election year and there’s speculation about who will succeed President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner. She has served the maximum two consecutive terms allowed by Argentina’s constitution.
Frente Para La Victoria
Politicians from the Front for Victory proposed an amendment to Argentina’s constitution to allow unlimited re-elections. Opposition resisted the proposal and it did not pass in Congress.
As mentioned in an earlier post, an appellate court recently dismissed a criminal case against Kirchner and her supporters accusing them of “conspiring to hide Iranian officials’ involvement in a bombing in Buenos Aires in 1994”. The New York Times published an article about the controversy. It’s a sore subject in Buenos Aires.
Near Plaza de Mayo
From observation, people in Buenos Aires either support Kirchner or vehemently oppose her. There doesn’t seem to be a middle ground. I don’t know which side has more power and advocates – those for or against her? I’m not familiar with viable opposition candidates for the presidency – if there are any – but intend to research it.
A large number of President Kirchner’s staunchest supporters are part of a “super-charged youth movement” composed of young, outspoken students who are advocates of Peronism. I’ve seen them passing out pamphlets on street corners and even chatted briefly with one student who spoke English.
Eva Perón (Evita)
Maximo Kirchner, son of Néstor and Cristina, created the political youth organization La Cámpora. The group is sometimes called “Cristina’s soldiers”. La Cámpora supports the governments of Néstor Kirchner and Cristina Fernández de Kirchner. The group formed in 2003 and was named after former Peronist President Héctor José Cámpora.
Héctor José Cámpora
La Cámpora became politically influential in 2010, after President Néstor Kirchner died of a heart attack. There are interesting articles about La Cámpora including one from the Southern Pacific Review based in Santiago, Chile and another from The Bubble, a local Buenos Aires news organization.
Fireworks Plaza de Mayo
Never thought I’d get caught up in a demonstration. In all my travels I’ve tried to avoid them. One close call was while visiting Athens in May 2013. My hotel was near Syntagma Square, the front line of Greek European Union austerity protests. The sight of police in full riot gear and the sound of thousands of demonstrators is unforgettable.
Juan Peron
Getting unexpectedly caught up in a large group of excited people happens quickly. I’ve never experienced anything like it. Once I got swallowed up there was no way out. If you exited the Cathedral subway station at the wrong time, like I did, you were swept up in the crowd whether you wanted to be or not.
Tango Dancers 25th de Mayo Celebration
Kirchner’s supporters were raucous. They belted out chants while being egged on by their leaders. There wasn’t any violence, at least I didn’t see any. It was the sheer number of people and their intense passion that was slightly scary. I kept hoping things would calm down, but they got louder. The number of people in the group was increasing. They just kept coming.
Maximo Kirchner
Families were dealing with young children who were crying and terrified of the growing crowd. The largest gathering was near the main square and government buildings between Avenidas De Mayo and Rivadavia. These major avenues intersect near the Casa Rosada (Presidential Palace), the State Intelligence Bureau, City Hall, and Plaza de Mayo.
25th Mayo Celebration
La Cámpora formed a human wall around their demonstrators who were carrying banners mounted on bamboo poles. After an hour, I spotted a tiny escape route and sneaked away.
25th Mayo Celebration
Around 7:00 p.m. President Kirchner addressed the Argentine Nation from Plaza de Mayo. After her speech, the “Party of the People’s Nation” continued until midnight with music, fireworks, and other festive activities. Over one million people attended.
Will think twice before exiting another subway ;o) but what an interesting day!
Stage Notorious Jazz Club
Notorious is a popular jazz club in Buenos Aires. From the outside it looks like a CD store. Once you’re inside, the storefront leads down a corridor to a jazz club and restaurant in the back. The club is on Avenida Callao (pronounced cashhou) a few blocks from my apartment in Recoleta.
Notorious Jazz Club
I stopped by to check it out and bought a ticket for last night’s jazz session. Notorious is open every day of the week, from 9:30 p.m. onwards. Tickets are necessary for the early performance but a late show begins at around 1:00 a.m., no ticket required.
Notorious Jazz Club Buenos Aires
Local and guest musicians are frequent repeat performers at Notorious. La Fusa de Vinicius De Morales is a group of Brazilian and Argentine musicians led by singer Josi Dias. They play the music of poet and Brazilian musician Vinicius de Morales. Morales is a primary figure in Brazilian contemporary music.
Notorious Jazz Club Buenos Aires
The legendary album Vinicius in La Fusa, recorded in Buenos Aires, is the biggest selling album of Brazilian music in Argentina. Morales collaborated with many Brazilian performers, including popular Brazilian singer and guitarist Toquinho.
Jorge Anders
I bought a ticket to hear the Jorge Anders Jazz Orchestra. Jorge Anders beautifully recreates the music of Duke Ellington’s swing band. Anders composed arrangements for the Duke Ellington Orchestra between 1982 and 1987. He made his début in Buenos Aires and then moved to New York where he and his quartet became part of the mainstream jazz scene.
Notorious Jazz Club Buenos Aires
Anders released albums in the United States and Argentina. The Jorge Anders Jazz Orchestra consists of 4 trumpets, 3 trombones, an alto sax, 2 tenor saxophones, a baritone sax, piano, double bass, drums, and a female singer from Brooklyn New York. The pieces they played last night highlighted the incredible skills of each member of the orchestra.
Jorge Andes Jazz Orchestra
It can be awkward going out alone at night but since the club is near my apartment it seemed a great idea. It was one of the most pleasant evenings I’ve spent on this trip. You couldn’t ask for a mellower group – the artists performing and the fun audience. The sold out performance was an eclectic crowd in age and appearance – 20s to 70s. The music was flawless – fantastic group of musicians who played impeccable, incredible jazz!
Jorge Anders
The added attraction was the handsome and hilarious waiters who danced their way back and forth to the tables they were waiting. There wasn’t room for dancing but some people were dancing in their chairs!
Street Scene La Boca
La Boca is one of the last neighborhoods I’ve explored in Buenos Aires. It’s a long walk from my studio in Recoleta through traffic and crowded streets. The subway lines don’t go there, so I had to overcome a hesitancy to take Buenos Aires buses. The packed buses are sporadic and it’s hard to find the pickup points – some marked, others not.
La Boca Street Art
Yesterday I hopped on bus number 29 which passes from Recoleta through the Monserrat and San Telmo neighborhoods on the way to La Boca. The first time I caught the 29 it took almost an hour of maneuvering through thick bottlenecked traffic to get across town. By the time we arrived it was late afternoon and almost dark outside. Yesterday I went early and the trip was painless and faster.
Tango Dancers
La Boca isn’t my favorite part of Buenos Aires. It’s unique and interesting but very touristy and a bit dangerous. It’s a poor area rich in history and creativity. The 29 bus had a strong vibe. Some of the people were scary. Others had weathered, worn faces and tired looking eyes, maybe indicating a hectic day or a hard life.
La Boca
Getting to La Boca
On the first bus ride to Boca I sat next to a woman holding a small child – both seemed to be fast asleep. Magically they woke up the moment the bus arrived at their stop.
Tango Street Art
Yesterday I waited for the bus with a group of people including four friends who were entertaining everyone at the bus stop. They were funny and even with malo Español I caught a few of their jokes. Everyone was laughing at their antics.
Juan and Evita Peron
It’s a holiday weekend in Argentina. May 25 is Argentina’s Independence Day. Major plazas are blocked off for festivals and streets are teeming with political diversions and fast-moving pedestrians.
Benito Marti – Son of La Boca Neighborhood
La Boca History
La Boca is on Riachuelo River, a small inlet of Rio de la Plata. The Port of Riachuelo and a railroad, Vuelta de Rocha, are key elements of the neighborhood. Most La Boca residents are descendants of Italian immigrants from Genova. They speak with a Genoese or Xeneize dialect.
Genoese immigrants settled in La Boca in the early 1900s. They built their houses on high sidewalks to protect them from river flooding. Many of the buildings have wrought iron balconies and the people painted their homes in bright, spectacular colors using leftover paint from the dockyard.
Building Art
La Boca Art
La Boca is a popular area for local artists. One of the most visited and photographed tourist spots is Caminito, a street with colorful murals and graffiti where artists display their work. Caminito is famous for markets selling art, souvenirs, and other local merchandise. Leather goods at La Boca markets are cheaper than anywhere else in Buenos Aires.
Along the river boardwalk are the Foundación Proa, a modern exhibition center, and the Fine Arts Museum of La Boca. Foundación Proa hosts six contemporary art shows a year featuring works from Argentina and abroad. They also conduct art workshops, courses, conferences, and concerts. The Fine Arts Museum displays the work of beloved artist Benito Quinquela Martí, considered a “son of La Boca neighborhood”.
In 1890, nuns found infant Benito opposite the door of the House of Abandoned Children, an orphanage. He lived at the orphanage until a family adopted him. As an artist Martí worked on Theater La Ribera and Bridge Nicolás Avellaneda, named after Nicolás Avellaneda president of Argentina 1874-1880.
Workers
La Boca Waterfront
Mural of Street Musicians
Dancers and Musicians
Churches, Pope Francis, and Tango
Churches in La Boca include beautiful San Juan El Evangelista and the Sanctuary Nuestra Señora Madre de los Emigrants which pays tribute to immigrants who arrived in Argentina from different countries. You see statues and caricatures of Pope Francis, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Buenos Aires, throughout La Boca. The people of Buenos Aires are very proud of their Cardinal who became Pope.
San Juan El Evangelista
La Boca has abundant tango studios and Italian taverns. Dancers often perform in cafés and on the street. The restaurant where I stopped for lunch had fantastic live tango and flamenco dancers. After their performances the dancers circulated throughout the restaurant to talk with people and collect tips.
Juan and Evita Peron
Riachuelo
Foundación Proa Exhibit
Tango Dancers
Calle Caminito Sign
La Bombonera
Street Art
Soccer
Soccer is a major force in La Boca. Soccer highlights are the popular Club Boca Juniors soccer team and La Bombonera (chocolate box) stadium. Boca Juniors is regarded as the club of Argentina’s working class. Many famous soccer players, including Juan Román Riquelme and Carlos Tévez, came from Boca Juniors. La Bombonera stadium holds 50,000 spectators and is also used for concerts. The Museo de la Pasion Boquense monument idolizes the famed La Boca soccer team.
Pope Francis – Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio
It was an interesting day and I learned many new things about exciting Buenos Aires!
Piazzolla Tango Performance
Astor Pantaleón Piazzolla
Last night I attended a tango performance in Galería Güemes, a restored Belle Époque building in Buenos Aires. The Art Noveau design is gorgeous and the building has a gallery, apartments, offices, and restaurants as well as the tango theater and cabaret.
Galleria Güemes
The Four Seasons of Tango by Piazzolla Tango was performed in the Galeria’s underground theater. The performance featured the traditional songs of Astor Piazzolla, the world’s foremost composer of Tango music.
Tango Dancers
The Argentine version of tango requires great physical strength. The power and energy of the wonderful dancers was impressive! The show lasted two hours with amazing music, dancing, and singing.
The performance included twenty vignettes accompanied by musicians – two bandoneons, two violins, a bass, and a piano. In between tangos, singers performed solos and passionate duets. Each tango was unique with spectacular costumes and lighting.
Astor Pantaleón Piazzolla
Galleria Güemes
Astor Pantaleón Piazzolla was born in 1921 in Argentina. When he was a boy his family moved to New York City where Astor’s father gave him a bandoneón (similar to an accordion). He took lessons and became a virtuoso.
Astor Pantaleón Piazzolla
In New York Astor met Argentine actor and singer Carlos Gardel, famous for his tango ballads. Gardel became a close family friend. He hired Astor as a translator and encouraged him to become an actor.
Astor made a short appearance in one of Gardel’s tango movies – El Día Que Me Quieras (The Day You Love Me). The small part introduced him to classical Tango and the many ways of expressing tango. Astor became the bandoneonist and composer who changed tango music forever by incorporating elements from jazz and classical music.
Galleria Güemes
Piazzolla’s family returned to Argentina in 1936. Astor started playing in bands and joined several famous orchestras. He continued producing experimental compositions through the 40s and 50s. During the 60s through the 90s he perfected his controversial style and performed all over the world. In June 1983, Piazzolla proudly played a program dedicated to his music at the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires.
Carlos Gardel
The extraordinary performance last night inspired me to take a few tango lessons before leaving Buenos Aires. It will be a fun experience. During the time here I’ve seen the presence of tango everywhere. Buenos Aires and tango are inseparable – exciting city, exciting dance.
Since the performance ended late I decided to take a taxi and not ride the subway. At night the city lights in Buenos Aires are magic. It was a lovely ride home!
Tango Dancers
