Sexteto Mayor - La passion règne.

Did you have a nice weekend?


So this is what I went to see on Saturday at the ND theatre, here in Buenos Aires. It was a one-time show to celebrate the group's 40 years! the amazing thing is, that two of it's original members* are still part of the group. They both play the violin. It was a beautiful show, I feel so lucky to have seen them! After the show I wanted to learn more about this sextet (which left me speechless) and here is what I found:


The Sexteto Mayor is a tango music ensemble founded in April 23, 1973 by Luis Stazo and José Libertella.  Since it's early days, the sextet has conducted tours around the world. This has led them to become the most famous Argentinian tango sextet in the world. Sexteto Mayor has received numerous awards including the Latin American Grammy in 2003.

Botero

Here's a nice plan, if you like Botero.

The Fine Arts Museum has inaugurated the exhibition “Botero, drawings on canvas and paper”, a display of 50 drawings from his personal collection.

The exhibition is divided into five "chapters": the first is devoted to Latin American life, the source of inspiration for Botero. Botero portrays the life of the town and its characters, costumes, architecture, habits and rituals. The second "chapter" focuses on the theme of violence and bullfighting. The third "chapter" is dedicated to the circus. The fourth to large-scale works, with many still lives. And the fifth is devoted to music.

Enjoy! 
M

National Museum of Fine Arts: Avenida del Libertador 1473, Buenos Aires.
May 21 to June 30, 2013

Five: the blog

Art Exhibition"Meraviglie dalle Marche" in Buenos Aires

After being on display at the Vatican City, 50 paintings from 15 museums in Le Marche region of central Italy on the Adriatic, will be exhibited at the National Museum of Decorative Arts in Buenos Aires, from July 6  to September 30, 2012.

Buenos Aires city was chosen, since the capital has a large Italian community that immigrated from the Marche region generations ago.

At its very foundation, the purpose of the art exhibit is to show the strong links between art and faith. Centuries may pass, but this exhibit shows that despite time, that unique combination still remains.

“Meraviglie dalle Marche” includes about 50 pieces, made by artists who have a direct connection to Italy's Marche region. It was in that area that many Italian artists produced their work. It's also where some of the most important artists in Italian history were born, like Raffaello, Barocci and Podesti.

The exhibition includes works such as a lesser-known version of Raphael’s “Saint Catherine of Alexandria,” (the most famous one is in the National Gallery in Washington), Titian’s “Resurrection”, and Guido Reni’s “Annunciation” and “Saint Sebastian”, and works by other painters equally remarkable as Guercino, Luca Giordano, Maratta, among others.

Museo Nacional de Arte Decorativo: Av. del Libertador 1902


Photo courtesy: ilcorrieredelsud.it

Eros & Psyche

Somewhere in Greece, a King and Queen had three daughters. The first two were beautiful but, their third daughter, PSYKHE (or Psyche) was so beautiful that she was compared to Venus. Venus' pride was deeply hurt by this, so she asked her son, Eros, to "make her fall in love with the most horrendous monster".

As time went by, Psyche's sisters married and had children. No one seemed to be interested in Psyche. Her parents consulted the Oracle. She was ordered to go to the highest part of the mountain to face her destiny.

After a dream, she reached a palace by night where she was approached by a man with whom she spent a night of passion. She stayed there living her days in solitude and her nights in darkness and passion, until one day, she got pregnant. Her sisters had visited her without being able to see her husband's face. They feared it was the monster of Venus' wish. They persuaded Psyche to look at her husband's face while he slept. At night, after having made love, curiosity and fear took over her. Psyche discovered that her husband was Eros himself. He was young and handsome.

Eros woke up to see she had betrayed his trust but confessed he could not follow his mother's orders because he could not resist her beauty. Then, he abandoned her. Psyque was devastated. She wondered the world until Venus found her and put her away. Eros, finally rescued her and they have been living together since. They had a daughter called Hedone which means pleasure in Greek.



Post and translation: Valeria Mendez Cañas
Image: Octavia Minor
Sources: theoi.com ; entrecasa magazine. Bs. As 2012; wiki

Oedipe

Oedipe will prima on the evening of May 29th at the Teatro Colon for a run of four performances.

Oedipe – (Oedipus)

Opera in four acts (1936)
Music by George Enescu
Libretto by Edmond Fleg, based upon Oedipus Rex and Oedipus at Colonus, by Sophocles

Co-produced by the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, La Monnaie in Brussels, The Grand Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona and the Théâtre National de l'Opéra de Paris.

Ballet at Teatro Coliseo

Three ballet performances featuring more than 25 exceptional dancers from the world's best companies will be presented throughout the year at the Teatro Coliseo de Buenos Aires:

May 19, 2012
3E Étage Opera National de Paris
Eleven first figures from the Opera National de Paris' Ballet gather to present for the first time in Argentina "Nouvelles Virtuosités", a show that combines humor and virtuosity. A unique opportunity to see on the same stage the talented Argentinian dancer Ludmila Pagliero and "Danseur Étoile" Josua Hoffalt, performing choreographs by Raul Zeummes, William Forsythe and Samuel Murez.

Silvina Ocampo on love

"They loved eachother with tenderness, passion and faithfulness. They tried to always be together and when they had to separate for whatever reason, they thought about eachother so much that their time apart was also a way of being together, more subtle, prudent and avid"

Silvina Ocampo,
Los dias de la noche

Observer

Peter de Meyer

Ernesto Neto

Lacan - who made connections of Last Names and choices (it's complex, but interesting) would love this. Bill Gates -windows; Steve Jobs - Net - Neto. Anyways, just before leaving Buenos Aires I went to Faena Arts Center to see an exhibition by Brazilian artist, Ernesto Neto. The installation invites us to interact with it in a playful way. First step is taking your shoes off and going into the heart of this work: a labyrinth of colorful ropes, soft balls underneath your feet and a beautiful combination of colors that intensify the experience.

The spiderweb- like installation called "a bug suspended in the scene" takes up the entire exhibition space creating a special, intimate and soothing atmosphere.

It's a great feeling to walk suspended on air. Hope you like it.

Aime Paine 1169, C1107 Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Barcelona!

I heart El Xampanyet












































































































































































































































The best part of a journey is the people you meet along the way. And the food.

Photo above is brunch at PICNIC

Buenos Aires Jazz

Jazz is to Americans what tango is to Argentinians (uhm… or some say its country music?)

Jazz was born in New Orleans (that’s right, not Chicago, not NYC) just as tango was born on the banks of the Rio de la Plata in Buenos Aires. Like tango, Jazz is also a product of diversity. New Orleans was French, then it was Spanish, then it went back to being French until it finally became American (although, you know what they say in Nola: “third world and proud of it”). Anyone who has been there, has probably noticed how different NOLA is from the rest of the US. In many ways, it's more like Argentina.

New Orleans Jazz was created by immigrants from Africa who met to sing religious hymns, but in the process, their voices started to merge generating different harmonies. Thus, variations on these melodies came to life.

While European music requires careful listening and who interprets it must remain faithful to the score - even in the execution of the expression, in jazz, there is a kind of game. Musicians follow certain rules, but mostly improvise and put their own vibe into the music.

To those who are eager to expose their ears to the sharpness of this genre and also those who simply want to enjoy the pleasure of hearing this music without much thinking, we invite you to the Fourth Edition of the Festival de Jazz de Buenos Aires. Advance ticket sale starts today, while concerts start the following week.

Enjoy!

Buenos Aires Photo 2011

If you love photography, this month, don't miss Buenos Aires Photo. It's an opportunity to check out some of the best photography in Latin America and the world. The exhibition will take place from October 27- 30; hosted by Palais de Glace in Recoleta.

Photos kindly provided by: Gachi Prieto Gallery & Elisi del Rio Arte Contemporáneo - stand 19 - featuring works by Carolina Magnin, Gaby Messina, Lena Szankay, Arturo Aguiar, Daniel Kiblisky and Simón Altkorn.

Enjoy! xo

Visual Arts Prize

One way for Argentinian artists to become known is to win the Visual Arts prize that the Salon Nacional awards each year in any of its 8 categories (painting, etching, sculpture, drawing, photography, ceramic arts, textile arts and installations).

Salon Nacional was founded in 1911, with the idea of fostering Argentinian artistic development and this is what they've done for the last 100 years. Salon Nacional has always been recognized as a very important space where pieces of art are legitimated and aesthetic parameters are set.

Only a few days remain before the exhibition of the works of this years winners are taken down (October 16), if you have time, it is worth a visit.

Where? At the Palais de Glace, Libertador Avenue 1248.

Enjoy!

living it up

Photo: "hot springs" by Ryan McGinley



The concept of a bon vivant is associated with the idea of leading a good life, to live well. But what is to live well?

The other day I read an article on LNR where they talked about the good life with Argentinian chef, Mallmann.

For some, the concept of a bon vivant is overly idealized. It means having a life of luxury, 5 star travels, eating at expensive restaurants, buying big brands, a socially important status and collecting art.

For me, that sounds about right, but I also think a good life is related to living life with passion and intensity. To find the beauty in whatever you do. Whether it’s appreciating a painting, feeling the music with your eyes closed, reading, enjoying a good meal, the smell a flower, dancing, visiting a new place, laughing with a friend, reaching a goal and celebrating the love you receive and that you give every day.

That's also happiness.

In this article that I read, Mallman said something that I'd like to share:

A bon vivant "is a person who tries to live romantically, a person who likes to live each day the best way possible. It has to do with your mood, with who you are, with the time of the year, the clothes you like to wear, where you go, what you eat...”

When I was writing this post, I also ran into this definition: "a bon vivant is someone who can say, I live very well, my children are alright, I am not the richest but I can still do pretty much everything that I want to do; I have a partner who has always loved me and who I love and have fun with, I have achieved most of my goals and I'm satisfied"

Finally, I leave you with the definition that Coco Chanel gave when they asked her: "what is fashion?"

“Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.”

Well said Coco! I love this definition of fashion and I find that it has much to do with the concept of a bon vivant. But more importantly, what is it to you?

Enjoy today!




Post by: Valeria Mendez Cañas

Plato's cavern

I'm reading Laurent Gounelle's "I Will Not Leave Without Telling You Where I go" and have come across a few passages that deal with something that we sometimes resist: change. The translation is mine because the version I'm reading is in Spanish.

"Today a lot of people live in Plato's Cavern without even realizing it. They are afraid of what is unknown to them and reject any sort of change that affects them personally. They have ideas, projects, dreams but they do not fulfill them because they are often paralyzed by fear. Their feet and hands are held by handcuffs to which they only have the key to unlock. Keys hang in their neck but they never take them.

Life itself is made up of continuous change. It would not make any sense to hang on to the status quo. Only the dead remain still. We not only have to accept change, we also have to start it in order to be able to evolve in the sense that is most convenient to us.

[...] Resistance to change is what makes adults and children differ. Children feel like evolving while adults often do everything they can not to. (perhaps not at a conscious level)
When we no longer feel like evolving, we start to die very slowly...

[...] If you want to be young all your life, continue evolving, learning, discovering, don't lock yourself up in habit that makes your mind get stuck nor in the comfort of what is already known to you because before you know it you could become numb."

Plato's Allegory of the Cave remains a powerful metaphor for understanding the limitations of human perception and the transformative journey towards true knowledge and enlightenment. 

Remember that destiny is also an excuse for not making things happen. You create.

closed doors and open hearts

Almacén Secreto



A few years ago closed- door restaurants began to open in Buenos Aires.

Young chefs began to open the doors of their houses with the idea of treating guests with a delicious home-made meal, sharing nice conversation and allowing people to interact with people they don’t know. Sometimes, guests can also enjoy wine tasting, acoustic music shows and art exhibitions before, during or after dinner.

The first one we went to is Casa Saltshaker. We enjoyed a delicious dinner in a relaxed and intimate atmosphere. There were just two or three tables, so it was a nice opportunity to meet and chat with strangers from other places. We shared a table with a couple from Chicago and had a very nice time chatting with them.

These closed door restaurants are accessed by recommendation, naturally.

The proposals are varied. Some open weekends only and others on weekdays. Reservations are required.

If you have not been to one these closed- door restaurants yet, here is a list we put together.

Treinta Sillas
Freire y F. Lacroze, Belgrano.
15-4492-7046

Diego Felix. They like to experiment with exotic flavors, spices and Latin-American scents.
4555-1882

La Cocina Discreta
4772-3803
15-6571-1002

Casa SaltShaker

Almacen Secreto. North West, Argentina cuisine.
Aguirre 1242, Villa Crespo.
4854-9131

Caracoles para Da Vinci
Hidalgo 878, Villa Crespo
15-5526-6918

Casa Coupage. Haute Argentinian Cuisine
Soler 5518, Colegiales.
4777-9295



Enjoy!! xo

sunset

Contrary to popular belief, Punta del Este is so beautiful during spring time. Of course, although just a hop away from Buenos Aires, the weather in Punta is sometimes drastically different than here. Like most beach towns, you have that sea-breeze and freshness that you don't have in the city which is much warmer and less windy. Yes. Sometimes, the wind in Punta is a pain, but you can still do pretty much anything you want...

So I thought I’d share with you what I like to do when it's not summer and I can't go to the beach and be a beach bum all day. I consider myself a beach person. I’ve always loved the beach. My mum lived in Hawaii for a very long time, and to me, that was bliss. Just going there and staying with her for months at a time. That is when I started to surf. I became one of "them" lol.

Anyway, when it's cold in Punta, I like to SLEEP. This time around, I was asked: "how can you sleep so much". I can always sleep "much" but when I'm by the ocean and all you can hear is the roaring, hypnotizing sound of the waves and birds, how can you possibly not sleep so much? So I'll sleep like 10 hours or 12. I get up late and I have a good breakfast (something I don't do in ba) I’ll go for a morning walk on the beach or play tennis (which for a person who is not so good, like me, demands an enormous effort - cause of the wind, I mean). Then, a nice home-cooked lunch or maybe go to a yummy place such as Fasano (which opens all year round), La Huella or the Yatch Club, which is also fun. Usually, if we do go out for lunch, we'll run into friends. You would be amazed how many people go there all year round. Years ago, this was a summer destination only (from December to March). That has changed.

After lunch, I'll read a book and listen to music, chill for a while. In the afternoon I like to go for a swim (indoor pool, I'm not crazy, but you do see people going for a swim at the beach). How do they do it? I'll swim for about half an hour, relax, and maybe swim a little more. Other afternoon options are riding horses, biking, visiting friends, spa treatments or visiting the small art galleries and shops. There is this one book store (it's in the peninsula, actually) that I love. It's called El Virrey. I can spend hours in there. Boutiques are also nice to visit. I've seen some new ones popping up lately and they have some very cool stuff. Wool sweaters in Uruguay are the best.

At night, we’ll have friends over for dinner or go out. This time we did a little bit of everything cause some friends from Villa la Angostura were in Punta also, so it was nice to have them and other friends over for dinner and drinks. Spending time with friends is my favorite part.

Hope you have a chance to visit Punta whether it’s during the summer, or anytime. It’s a truly beautiful town with a special energy that will make you feel GOOD.

Do you often take mini-breaks? what do you like to do? what relaxes you?



Photo: Punta sunset by Mich

Exhibition: Carlos Paez Vilaro

The works of Uruguayan artist, Carlos Paez Vilaro, are on view at the Museum of Tigre this month.

Paez Vilaro is not just a painter, he has used and related to art in every way he thought imaginable. He has worked on murals, ceramics, sculpting, etching, collage and photography, he has researched Afro-Uruguayan culture and music for years; plays a percussion instrument called tamboril to the beat of "candombe" (popular music in Uruguay that has its roots in Africa), he has written "candombe" lyrics, poems and published several books.

At the age of 6 he got interested in art, he drew pictures he sent to children's art contests in Buenos Aires. Always feeling attracted to Buenos Aires, as a teenager he crossed the river that divides both countries and came to work. He got a job sticking the heads of matches at a factory and lived in a rented room in a hotel for people with low incomes, similar to a "conventillo". There, he discovered his passion for immigrants and the way their cultures mixed with ours. He liked music and dances which he attended in order to draw pictures of the couples in the dance floor.

The way he has lived through art is surprising. He has exchanged his work in order to pay for many of his expenses. Painting is what made him feel like doing things in life, it opened many doors for him: the door to the world and the door to meeting interesting people and making friends.

He took architecture to new limits when he built his iconic paradise in Punta Ballena, Uruguay: "Casa Pueblo", located on a bay, overlooking the sea, made of curvy lines in immaculate white. The idea of "conventillos" inspired his creation of this place. It has a museum, an atelier and a hotel.



















His second version of Casa Pueblo was constructed in Tigre, Buenos Aires, his home in Argentina. He discovered the place by chance while on a walk with his wife on the banks of the river.

Maybe it’s thanks to art that Carlos Paez Vilaro found unimaginable strength that kept his hope alive in the most adverse situation. In 1972, the plane that took his son, Carlitos to a rugby tournament in Santiago de Chile, fell in the Andes mountains. A small group survived 72 days in the snowed peaks of the Andes. Paez Vilaro travelled to Chile along with other relatives to support the search of the plane and possible survivors. When the search officially concluded and there was no more hope left, he continued looking. When relatives began to return to Uruguay, he stayed and continued to hope. People thought he was crazy.



















When he was finally boarding his plane home, he heard the crew talking to the airport Police that had come looking for him. A shepherd had seen two young men in the mountains. Carlos ran to a taxi and told the driver he had no money. The taxi driver placed his wallet on his knee and said: "take what you need". His son was alive: " I had whistled behind the Andes to let Carlitos know I was there, while the moon was looking at me from the sky".



















We hope you have a chance to see the heartfelt work of this artist and to visit Casa Pueblo in Punta del Este, Uruguay.



Post by: Valeria Peimer

University of Buenos Aires.

The University of Buenos Aires today.

The University of Buenos Aires (UBA) was created between 1861 and 1873. The founders thought that education, science and technology were the keys to national progress and autonomy. This was the golden era of Argentina. Education was one of the government's top priorities, particularly, elementary school. The government provided free, public, non religious education and adapted school programs with the aim of facilitating
entrance to university.

Unfortunately, the evolution of public education has been parallel to that of Argentina itself. Education has become disorganized, politicized. Administrative jobs are assigned politically, budgets are permanently short and faculty strikes are common.





















There has been a lively public debate in recent years on how to change UBA
and improve its funding, but not much has been achieved. Because the university is free, chaotic and looks surreal, it remains a mystery how great minds come out of there. Here is a list of some of its students, researchers and graduates' recent achievements:

A team from the Law School won the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot
Court Competition, 2007-2008 edition.

In 2007 a doctor from the University of Buenos Aires won the L Oreal prize
for Unesco for Women in Science. A doctor in Physics, from the same
University had previously obtained it in 2003.

The Program for Climatic Change created by UBA researchers has been recognized worldwide and some of its members make up the Intergovernmental Panel for Climatic Change, project that contributed to making Al Gore win the Peace Nobel Price in 2007.

Dr. Mónica Pinto, President of Eudeba (UBA's publishing company), was awarded the National Order of Merit from the Embassy of France for her outstanding work in Public International Law.

2006 Konnex prizes to the best figures in Argentine humanities were awarded to 17 members of UBA, members of the faculty, researchers and graduates.

UBA research teams work on subjects such as biodiesel, nanotechnology, advances in breast cancer and climatic change.

UBA Graduates won prizes at the International Research Scholars (2007-2011), Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the Prize Young Animal Scientist (2007).

A student from the School of Natural Sciences is the creator of Google Sky, a tool that lets you see images of the sky.

Going back in time, out of five Nobel Prize Winners that Argentina has, 4 graduated from the University of Buenos Aires and one from the National University of La Plata.

UBA, is another metaphor that well describes our country: so contradictory, so terrible, so marvelous.