ArteBA — Buenos Aires’ Contemporary Art Extravaganza

Editor’s note: This post is out of date. Please see our newer post about Arte BA here.

ArtBa is a contemporary art extravaganza for art collectors and those who just wish they were. The event, billed as Latin America’s largest art fair, draws artists, curators, gallery owners and art junkies from across the globe. It also hosts high-profile international collectors, among them gallery owners and celebrities. This year, Hollywood front-man, John Cusack already dropped by to view the exhibits.

The ArteBA Foundation’s annual event grows every year, with over 120,000 people visiting Palermo’s La Rural to see work from 71 regional and international galleries.

In its 2011 edition, ArteBA celebrates its 20^th year. On show are the works of renowned artists such as Marta Minujín, Zulema Maza, Roberto Jacoby and Miguel Rothschild. International works include those of Peru’s Giancarlo Scaglia, Brazil’s Abraham Palatnik, Uruguay’s Antonio Berni and the U.S.A.’s Mark Barquet.

Once again this year, entrance includes a free audio guide mapped out by curator Alicia de Arteaga and read by local radio legend, Lalo Mir. Visitors can download the MP3 here to listen on their Ipod while viewing the show, or provide an I.D. to get a set of headphones at the fair. Note, the download is only available in Spanish.

For the eighth year a few lucky artists will be selected to receive the highly-anticipated AR$50,000 ArteBA-Petrobras Visual Arts Prize to sponsor the creation of new work for exhibit at ArteBA.

To see works of emerging regional artists, head to the Chandon Barrio Joven section, meant to foster new talent in the Latin American art world.

A debut section this year is the U-TURN Project Rooms, bringing together 11 worldwide galleries with 18 artists, in an exhibit meant to explore new trends in the world of international art.

The last four evenings of the fair there are ‘Living Room chats’ at 7:00 p.m. to explore the collection of Banco Cuidad. On Thursday and Saturday evening is ‘The origin and the current situation of Banco Ciudad in the Arts,’ a summary of their acquired works. On Friday and Sunday the talk presented is, ‘Norman Foster in Buenos Aires.’

LluisBarba-piece — Artwork: Lluis Barba /Photos courtesy of ArteBA

Brought together with the help of a multitude of corporate sponsors, ArteBA helps with the acquisition of new works for some of Argentine’s top museums including MALBA and the Museo Superior de Bellas Artes Evita in Córdoba.

As always, the city’s top notch Department of Culture will be participating as a sponsor. They will host the free Open Forum, with a contemporary art exhibition, art film projections and presentations. On the fair’s final day they will present local experimental film, an improvisational performance and live music by local dub band, Nairobi and a show called Guachocumbiero, by provincial folk musician, Martín Giménez.

Those purchasing works to take abroad will want to read this post about the legal steps necessary to export art from Argentina. Those who can’t afford any of the artwork on display at ArteBA but want a souvenir can purchase the ArteBA catalogue at the exhibit.

ArteBA 2011
May 19— 23
La Rural
Avenida Sarmiento 2704
-Blue and green pavilions
Palermo
Tel: 4816-8704

• Hours: 1:00 p.m.—9:00 p.m.
• General Entrance: $38
• Seniors and Students: $20
• Kids under 12 free

Best of San Telmo Fair: Street Performers

Buenos Aires’ Living Statues

Elaborately costumed human mannequins are ubiquitous around San Telmo when the weekly San Telmo Street Fair takes place. Among the favorites are both of the genteel Carlos Gardels — one works on Humberto Primo and the other works along Defensa.

You also may see the ‘windswept office workers,’ who can also sometimes be seen on Florida Street as well as one of the ‘mirror men.’

Clowns, Crazies and Personalities

Mimes, clowns, scantily-clad drag queens and people who want to be tipped for just being who they are — they come out of the woodwork in San Telmo on Sundays. Especially prevalent are the ‘tango personalities’ who regularly make the rounds and sometimes sign autographs — whether you want one of not.

‘Tango Dancer’ Maleva takes tango back to its early 19th-century roots, with her fishnet stockings and heavy make-up. She doesn’t really dance tango as much as she prances around in her own little tango fantasy. She hasn’t been around lately so she might have taken her show indoors.

Halfway down the block from the plaza on Defensa Street is the woman everyone calls the ‘crazy drum lady,’ and she doesn’t seem to care one bit.

It’s difficult not to feel endeared to an elderly woman who supplements her pension playing a makeshift drum set and cracking jokes on the street. It doesn’t matter if you’re the queen of England though– if you want a picture you better give her U.S.-grade cash money beforehand or else you’ll receive an obscene gesture. She’s old, cranky and living on a fixed income. She can do whatever the hell she wants!

Puppet Shows

Puppetry is an art that is taken to its highest level in Buenos Aires. Delighted crowds always stop to cackle at the antics of ‘The Drunken Puppet,’ who stumbles around a miniature street corner made out of a suitcase — and looks curiously like his puppeteer.

→ Best of San Telmo Fair: Tango

←Best of San Telmo Fair: Music

Best of San Telmo Fair: Music

Tango, folk, jazz, bossa nova and Argentine ‘national rock’ –- it can all be heard live on the San Telmo streets for free on Sundays.

Tango

Among the most remarkable groups is the 12-piece tango orchestra, El Afronte, who perform on Humberto Primo near the corner of Defensa. While here, you can check out the beautiful Iglesia de San Pedro Telmo, one of Buenos Aires’ oldest cathedrals, dating back to 1734.

Contemporary Music

There are always buskers coming and going at the San Telmo Fair and it seems like a new group appears every week. Cuerdas del Sur is a tight three-piece contemporary ensemble who have been performing at the street fair for years. Often they can be found playing on the corner of Defensa and San Lorezo.

Candombe

Very popular are a growing number of candombe drum troupes playing in the later afternoon. The drummers bang out their Afro-Uruguayan sounds and slowly begin to shuffle through the crowds, gaining a following of dancers as they go along. The beats provide an opportunity to dance in the streets – literally.

→ Best of San Telmo Fair: Street Performers