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Published: October 28th 2007
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Church number 1
There are churches everywhere. And not just normal ones, beautiful ones. I have no idea why they are all so close to each other since every single one is decidedly catholic. ..... and you say that they way you say ah... venice! Just to fill you in. Well, after a couple of somewhat hellish days, I arrived in the cultural capital of South America. Or so they said... but you know what? I got here, and sure enough... these people aren´t fucking around.
There are galleries every 20 ft, statues, plazas with trees in bloom in deep purple, old churches, modern museums, adorable cafes, walkways covered in trelised vines that are just now blooming in fuschia flowers, cobblestone, a nice breeze... and well... anything else you might think could be in a perfect city.
The siestia is serious business around here. Everything closes at about 1, and then nothing is open again until about 8, except... for ice cream parlors... of which there is one on every corner. If only I could eat ice cream!!! the neighborhood in which my hostel is in is quite perfect. We are directly behind a church... imagine that... and we can go to the roof top and get our own private view of the white and blue tiled domes up there (I´ll get a picture for you later I suppose). On the street are
Inside church 2
because how many outsides do you really need to see... this was the best inside.. although interestingly not that nice outside... in comparison at least endless bonboneries... where... as you would guess ... are sold chocolates and candies, and also dried fruits, nuts, and other fun specialty yummies. I have to say though, that argentina is a country not obsessed with chocolate (as it should be) but rather with caramel. I like caramel, but not nearly as much as I like chocolate... and its hard to find a little tasty pastry to try that doesn´t contain caramel. I also have to say that I haven´t had a pastry that was drop dead delicious either ... and I think it just may not be in the argentinian soul to be that way.
As for the soap riddle... it occurred to me that people may steal the soap for the plastic little box I house it in. I´ve decided at the very least that I am going to conclude with that so that I no longer have to think about people using MY soap on their bodies... I´m so disgusted for them.
As have seen from my blog... I have already hit the modern art museum here... I wasted no time. It was fantastic! I´m always there looking for something that I´ve not seen before.
This was...
outside the wall of one of the churches... all over it actually. Argentina is quite progressive I´m finding. I wanted to comment on a few thoughts so that I may remeber them in the future for my own reference. In the 60´s through the 80´s it seems as though there was as strong minimalist movement in Argentina and Uruguay... that took a step in a different direction than most american art in this genre. Most american art of this time is not very colorful... but the south american art is. Color here, for me, seems to have a different value than color used by a western artist. So many of the native cultures here are very colorful ... and everywhere I go I see color on buildings and in clothes to a far greater degree than in north america. In N. America ... color seems artifical and loud... where here it seems natural and lively... not exactly the same at all. It is interesting to reflect on how who I am changes how people will view what I make... even if it is very similar to something somewhere else. The other thing I wanted to mention about this particular set of paintings is that they rely very heavily on optical illusions... and they are very good at it.
We estimate your compression
I think I understand what they were TRYING to say. I couldn´t help but share this with the world. When you look at the paintings, the colors or objects seem to bend or move and vibrate, or are projected into the space right in front of the canvas... in a way at least. Its very interesting how the artists have hyjacked the perception abilities of people to create the art, and how the art changes from many angles. In fact, I´ve noticed that as another Argentinian theme as well... change from multiple angles. I suppose that quality is always present in sculpture... but I never seem to appreciate sculpture as much as I do paintings. And the quality in paintings is ... even more pronounced... at least
Another thing I liked... There was an artist I saw in BsAs that made these pieces much like a rothko... but instead the different sections of color were held together with zippers. In some sections, the zippers were removed revealing purer layers of color underneath (maybe the colors you would mix to get the color on top). I liked that a lot... it was funny in a way.. . and dismantled a great artist and piece into its consituent bits...
I also saw a wonderful Frida Cahlo (sp? I don´t want to look it up right now). Otherwise, much of the art looks like other important american art at the same time period. I knwo that American art dominated the art world during that time, and only in the last twnety years has that started to change. I continue to look and try to find new things. I´m looking forward to being in peru. I´m thinking that there I might find some truely different art, and that the influence of the west might not be so strong.
Anyway
I´m very happy
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