Recoleta Cultural Center

(Chronicle – February 11, 2007). Today, Saturday, along with my father, we took a tour of Recoleta. More specifically, our itinerary was: the Cemetery, then the Chapel, part of the Fair, the Cultural Center, another part of the Fair, and the National Museum of Fine Arts.

The tour went by quite quickly; there were many tourists and a lot of people strolling around. It was also a very hot day.

When we entered the Recoleta Cemetery, we were warned that it was closing time, so the visit was fleeting, though I managed to take a few photos. At another time, I will dedicate a post specifically to the cemetery because of its history and renown.

In the photograph, you can see a portion of the Radical Pantheon—actually, it is the Pantheon of the Fallen in the Park Revolution.

Buried there, among others, are Leandro N. Alem, leader of the 1890 Revolution and founder of the Radical Civic Union; Hipólito Yrigoyen, President of the Republic from 1916–1922 and 1928–1930; Elpidio González, Vice President of the Republic from 1922–1928; and Arturo U. Illia, President of the Republic from 1963–1966.

The Park Revolution, or the Revolution of '90, was a civic-military uprising against the corrupt government of Juárez Celman, and that day claimed between 150 and 300 lives.

The base of the Pantheon features a Latin phrase: “Hic Manus Ob Patriam Pugnando Volnera Passi.” Latin is a language I do not know, but with that clarification made, the phrase would mean something like: "Here are those who, fighting for the Fatherland, received cruel wounds." It also has the date July 26, 1890, inscribed on it. This mausoleum is the work of Emilio Cantillón.

We kept walking, and the place was packed with people, many street vendors as well as fixed-stall vendors, and various attractions like living statues.

We were already in one section of the local Fair—the upper part, as the Fair continues all the way down along the Plaza.

The photo shows a living statue; what character does she represent? I do not know. It is a woman who remains motionless, enduring the heat beneath the trees, and ingeniously creates the impression of being taller than everyone else by standing on a small stool covered by her dress. When someone drops in a coin, she bows and moves the umbrella she holds in her hand.

In the next photo, another living statue—this time, a character possibly from some old comedy, but I don't know that either: a gentleman dressed entirely in blue with a conical hat.

They add paint to their costumes to color their faces and keep the uniform look. I don't know what gesture he made upon receiving a coin.

We continued walking and entered the Chapel. For me, it was my first time visiting this temple, which is actually the Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar, finished in 1732. It struck me as odd that it is a Basilica given its very small size.

The photograph shows the facade. On another occasion, I will talk properly about this church.

We walked around and saw the interior, but it became almost impossible to tour it completely because mass was going on at that moment and it was packed with people. Between churchgoers, tourists, and passersby, it was difficult to walk inside.

Upon leaving the Church, we reached the Recoleta Cultural Center. I had never been inside, so it was also my first time visiting it.

Their website is http://www.centroculturalrecoleta.org/

This building was previously called the Buenos Aires Cultural Center and is currently called the Recoleta Cultural Center. It was declared a National Historic Monument.

The place is a cultural and recreational space that functions as an exhibition center.

Just on this day, there were some visual arts exhibitions and other displays that I suppose were related to dance, according to a schedule posted in the room. Honestly, I didn't understand it.

I didn't understand any of the exhibitions. In general, I didn't like them at all. But that's a matter of taste and personal opinion.

The photo shows a kind of long canvas, lifted at one of its ends, and five stones rounded by the action of erosion down there on the floor. What does that mean? Incomprehensible. What message does it convey? No idea. Then around the room, a few paintings of the same caliber.
In the following photo, you can see remnants of an old wall from what used to be an Asylum, one of the oldest constructions in the City of Buenos Aires.

The building started as a convent for Recolet Franciscan friars and still preserves a room with a vaulted gallery. Later, it served as the site for the First Hospital de Clínicas and was also used as an Asylum for the Mentally Ill. Afterward, it was used as an Asylum for Beggars and also an Asylum for the Disabled. Finally, the Governor Viamonte Old Age Home was established there.

A plaque on that old wall indicates the following: "The new garden rooms and other repairs carried out in this asylum are due to the zealous interest of the Honorable Municipality of 1877."

That day, you could see they were doing some repair work, but it felt somewhat neglected, except for the facade, which is very pretty—though in the first photograph, some missing paint is noticeable.

The place has another upper floor, accessed by stairs. From these stairs, you can look down into the interior courtyards. These courtyards can also be accessed from the ground floor. They are the Orange Tree Courtyard, the Fountain Courtyard, the Cistern Courtyard, and the Tank Courtyard.

Going up one of the stairs and looking down at one of the courtyards, you can see in the middle of it what appears to be a small grave, marked with stones and a red sign on which, written in white capital letters, it says "Laika". A pet? Nobody knows; there it is, and that is how she is remembered.

From the terrace, on a balcony adorned with sculptures, you can see the Plaza. The whole area is known as Plaza Francia, but actually, that exact square is called Plaza Intendente Alvear.

Lots of greenery, palm trees, and other trees; people sitting on the ground—though few are seen now as evening was falling—lamp posts, umbrellas, and flower pots.

We left the Recoleta Cultural Center, crossed the fair—packed with people—and then passed the rows of fortune-tellers. It is incredible to see the gang of individuals who read cards and perform divinations. And all of them have clients: a low table, a tiny chair or small seat, a tablecloth with some extravagant design, and there they set up shop to run their business. Most of them are women dressed in many colors, with headscarves and costume jewelry necklaces.

All kinds of trinkets, large earrings, and many rings. Some crystal balls on the tables and many cards. And all of them full of clients—naive, skeptical, or whatever they might be, but there they are. I imagine hopeless people, but not all of them; some genuinely believe in these manifestations and are willing to pay to receive their divination.

We finished our tour at the National Museum of Fine Arts, where I was able to take two photos that I had missed last time and wanted to have: photos of the Hirsch Collection, 17th-century art.

Of course we walked through the entire museum, but I will leave my comments on this visit to the National Museum of Fine Arts for another occasion.

In the photograph, the painting "Esther and Mordecai Writing the First Letter of Purim" by the Dutch artist Aert de Gelder.