The art scene in Buenos Aires

The Times They Are A-Changing'
The artistic scene in Buenos Aires has been growing increasingly during the last few years. Slowly but a sustained rhythm the city of Tango is returning to its cultural glory. It was during the 60s and 70s when BA's cultural and artistic scene was the avant-garde gate of Latin America.

It was a world in revolt.

Everywhere there were new and impressive movements. May of the '68 in France, Art & Culture in BA, Woodstock, New York and London were giving birth to musical, pictorial, cinematographic revolutionary movements that would set the tone for further developments and innovations. In Buenos Aires there were hundreds of cultural canters, underground theatres and pubs in which new and innovating bands were taking their first steps into stardom.

Countless galleries all throughout the city and nearby towns exhibited vanguard art locally produced.

What was the reason -if there is one- for all these cultural expressions?

I believe there is one, one main root from which branches develop and take their own direction. And this main root was the social situation worldwide.

The possibility of a better world, of a new social order in which suffer and pain were not the main features inspired millions of artists. It also provided them with a broad audience eager for new art and cultural expressions that portrayed their new reality.

But the world did not take the turn they were all expecting for it to take. The times that followed were hard and painful. Dreams were trashed by the worlds powerful. The following decades to this cultural impasse can be described as the entering into the system's main flow of mass production and consumption.

Publicity and advertising attracted those 60s and 70s young artists into a different way of art, much more bonded to the needs of money which they had left aside decades ago.

However hard and terrible those times were, this does not imply -in no way- that all alternative and avant-garde artistic movements disappeared. They diminished considerably in terms of quantity and quality, and were set aside.

Argentina, in particular, is a clear proof of this trace we've described above. The 80s and 90s were even harder than the late 70s. The cultural crisis was covered by an artificial economic wellbeing under Menem's double presidency. The one on one peso and dollar opened our borders and let most of the Argentinean middle class to explore the world, different cultures and raise their living standards. But at the same time, slowly in the bases of society a greater social, economical, political and cultural crisis was developing.

On December 2001 things got worse and worse, and the so-called wellbeing collapsed.

Times were hard.” The times where changing", (Bob Dylan)

People wanted a change. They wanted things to change. And society began to act again, not only in the political arena -the most well-known area in the world thanks to the worldwide coverage of the huge political demonstrations- but in the cultural field also.

Taking advantage of the new economical situation with a 3 dollars to 1 peso exchange rate all sort of Argentinean artists began to have a chance in showing what they did and living on that.

Many cultural events were to be found in several neighbourhoods. This new art & culture trend was not a second edition of what happened 30 years ago; it was completely new, expressing new and different art styles and techniques, mixing avant-garde art, music, design and food in a innovating atmosphere. This is how design fairs began and developed.

Even more, a group of art lovers got together and came up with a fantastic
Idea: Gallery nights. Every last Friday of every month downtown Retiro Buenos Aires turns into a huge showroom, as every art gallery, museum, art shop, in the area open their doors during the night for a superb art event in which new artists are presented, fine art is purchased and everybody has a great time.


No doubt about it! Buenos Aires is regaining it's cultural and aesthetic avant-garde place in the Latin American concert, not only shining with it's virtues and values but spreading the love for culture to neighbouring countries such as Uruguay and Punta del Estes’ summertime cultural activities.


Buenos Aires, Argentian.
For more information: Email: Bob Frassinetti.

Antiquing in Buenos Aires

Antiquing in Buenos Aires by Bob Frassinetti.



Rare and incredible objects, furniture, books, toys, artworks… all those antiques and collectibles you dream of can be found in Buenos Aires.
Once upon a time Buenos Aires was a very small port city with very little population surrounded by one of the world’s most fertile lands. Not too far away there were several other populations with very different traditions to the Spaniards who had populated this portside area. As the city grew and the river port society evolved many Europeans chose Argentina to be their home. They immigrated with all their possessions from every corner of the old continent. This flow from Europe to Argentina first began in mid 19th century, and has never stopped till now. At the same time, as the world evolved –wars, economical possibilities, inspiration, were many of the causes that help other people chose our country as their own.
All of these new immigrants that were coming from Europe (Western and Eastern), Middle East, Asia and Africa, as well as many other Latin American countries, brought with them all kinds of objects, from paintings to mirrors and combs, from decorative items to all kinds of furniture, and so on.
This brief history of immigration in Argentina might help those that don’t know our country to understand a bit about the eclectic variety of items that can be found in this beautiful city that is Buenos Aires (specially Buenos Aires because it has always been the main gate to our great and beautiful country). Many of them were brought in immigration ships, many others were sent to these families from their homelands, some others were imported, and some other ones were the result of business among relatives who lived in their homelands and these new immigrants that were building a life in our Pampas. Those, valuable family objects some times due to hard economic situations, or may be because there was no one to inherit them, have taken a path towards flea markets, auctions or antiques shops.

During the last few years there has been a huge turn in our economy, the peso (local currency) has lost much of its value in relation to the dollar and the Euro, this situation has impacted in many areas of our everyday life. On the dark side one of the biggest consequences of this economic shift has been an intense flow of goods towards all kinds of markets, in order to keep on with a certain lifestyle. Therefore many families have found themselves in a situation were they had to sell many of their family’s goods. On the bright side this new valuation of the peso has made of Argentina a more appealing place to visit for foreigners, since it’s much cheaper than many other big international metropolises though still shows all its splendor in its culture, art, fashion and good sense of living.
Our local flea markets, open fairs and antiques shops are open history books that show this turns in our lives.
Plus, these are excellent places to shop for those items all art lovers dream of, as well as an excellent opportunity for art dealers that wish to offer their regular clients high class items at reasonable prices.
One of the most beautiful open air markets in the city is in the historical neighborhood of San Telmo, that’s open all day during Sundays, from very early in the morning to late in the afternoon. Surrounded by countless antiques shops that open their doors to the public all week long, this fair is just beautiful, with very good quality items… Bargaining is always an interesting possibility when acquiring these type of objects, always a plus to get what you want at the price you want to.
In the outskirts of the city, the Solano fair is one outstanding market where if you have a sharp eye for antiques you can find absolutely amazing treasures. Since this fair is very much for locals you can find all from old clothes, semi used house goods, and whatever people had and needed to sell… Its always better to visit this outskirts out of the tourists path fair with a local, best if you know what you want but don’t have much time and your Spanish is not very good.
Back to the city, one excellent flea market is the Dorrego Market, in the heart of Palermo, very nearby a great restaurants area; this market has all kinds of items. Its just a matter of walking around and talking with the local people that are very kind and would gladly help you in your quest.
On the other end of the city, during the weekends there’s another kind of flea market in Peru Rd, next to the railway station named Los Antiquarios, on the railway line of the Tren de la Costa. Located in the beautiful residential area of San Isidro you will find this fair has all kinds of decorative items and furniture, one of its specialties are chandeliers at very reasonable prices… High class and good prices, one excellent combo!

These are the most representative fairs and markets in BA. There’s nothing you can’t get, you name it, they have it… And of course, these are excellent sights when touring through the city of tango, ‘cause there are many different street shows that weekly chose those locations to show their art: tango, puppeteers, street theatre, live music, plus all kinds of local street food to enjoy during your walk, there’s no way that can go wrong!


For more information: Email: Bob Frassinetti.

Bob Frassinetti. Buenos Aires, Argentina