I spent the first half of October in Buenos Aires, and came back ready to get to work. I also came back inspired to keep studying Spanish, and to return to Buenos Aires as soon as I can.
Metropolitan Buenos Aires, including suburbs, is home to over 15 million people, or about one/third of Argentina’s population. It’s the third-largest city in Latin America (after Mexico City and Sao Paulo) and, like any large city, is made of neighborhoods that each have their own feel and energy.
I stayed in the Recoleta neighborhood, but tried to see as much of the city as possible while attending language school every day for several hours. The pictures tell the story.
I had an excellent guide in Marcelo Mansilla, who has over 500 5-Star reviews on Tripadvisor. A planned two days with Marcelo turned into five, as he shared with me the history, architecture and culture of Buenos Aires from colonial times to the present day. Marcelo has a contagious passion for the city’s history and provided great context for what we were seeing at every moment. Our adventures were not only historical but contemporary, giving me a chance to experience the city as a native “porteño” would, to the extent that is possible for a visitor just learning the language.
I took Spanish classes every day at a school. But I also met Camilo Arroyo, my online Spanish teacher of the past few months who is working on his masters in ancient history at the University of Buenos Aires. He is smart, patient and kind, and we have great conversations about history, literature, philosophy, politics… and grammar, of course!
At the Puente de la Mujer, Puerto Maduro
With Marcelo Mansilla at the Museo de Arte Tigre
With Camilo Arroyo in Caballito
One unexpected pleasure was meeting up with Steve Lapinski, an old friend from political campaigns back in St. Petersburg. Steve moved to Buenos Aires in 2020. Through him I met a number of other folks and greatly expanded my circle of friends and activities while in Argentina.
I went to gallery openings with contemporary artists producing world-class work; attended my first Spanish-language Narcotics Anonymous meeting; ran into friends randomly in the park; ate the best pastries and ice cream in the world; walked miles every day; peppered my young language teachers about contemporary politics; answered as best I could their questions about the US election; had my share of awkward language moments; and learned over and over again how to laugh at myself, because nothing is more humbling than trying to converse in a language not my own.
Now that I’m back in Florida I’m going to continue studying Spanish, and will no doubt travel to other Spanish-speaking countries in the months ahead. But I can’t wait for my next visit to Buenos Aires, to see my new friends there, to experience more of the vibrant art scene, and to again hear the unique and lyrical version of Spanish spoken along the banks of the River Platte.
With Stephen Lipinski and Isaac Mojica in a SUBTE station
With street art in Palermo SoHo
One unexpected pleasure was meeting up with Steve Lapinski, an old friend from political campaigns back in St. Petersburg. Steve moved to Buenos Aires in 2020. Through him I met a number of other folks and greatly expanded my circle of friends and activities while in Argentina.
I went to gallery openings with contemporary artists producing world-class work; attended my first Spanish-language Narcotics Anonymous meeting; ran into friends randomly in the park; ate the best pastries and ice cream in the world; walked miles every day; peppered my young language teachers about contemporary politics; answered as best I could their questions about the US election; had my share of awkward language moments; and learned over and over again how to laugh at myself, because nothing is more humbling than trying to converse in a language not my own.
Now that I’m back in Florida I’m going to continue studying Spanish, and will no doubt travel to other Spanish-speaking countries in the months ahead. But I can’t wait for my next visit to Buenos Aires, to see my new friends there, to experience more of the vibrant art scene, and to again hear the unique and lyrical version of Spanish spoken along the banks of the River Platte.
With Stephen Lipinski and Isaac Mojica in a SUBTE station
Museo National de Bellas Artes
The Museo National de Bellas Artes is the city’s principle museum and home to masterworks from the Renaissance to the 21st Century. It includes works by some of the most influential Argentinian artists including including Antonio Berni, Ernesto de la Cárcova, Benito Quinquela Martín, Eduardo Sívori, Sarah Grilo, Alfredo Guttero, Raquel Forner, Xul Solar, Marcelo Pombo and Lino Enea Spilimbergo.
Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires (MALBA)
Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires was established by Eduardo Constantini, who donated his collection of works by prominent Latin American artists including Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, Wifredo Lam, Joaquín Torres Garcia, Xul Solar, Emilio Pettorutti, and many others. The museum has a dynamic series of special exhibits and would be a regular destination were I to live in Buenos Aires.
Museo de Arte Tigre
A short ride upriver by train or car from central Buenos Aires brings one to Tigre, where the Parana River delta merges into the River Platte. The delta was and remains a place of weekend houses and escape from the city center. The old casino, built in the same Belle Epoque style as the grander parts of Buenos Aires, is now home to the Museo de Arte Tigre. It’s a small, comfortable space which make it easy to enjoy some really cool works from Argentinian artists including Antonio Berni, Fernando Fader, Luis Cordiviola, Horacio Butler and many others.
Affair at Gallerías Larreta
Thursday nights are packed with great music and great art at Gallerías Larreta. The organizers are hoping to connect artists and galleries with new audiences and potential purchasers. All I can say is that the Thursday night I went, with new friends, the art and the atmosphere were electric. Click Affair at Gallerías Larreta for more information.
Hurricane Damage in St. Petersburg
While I was enjoying Buenos Aires, St. Petersburg was getting pummeled with Hurricanes Helene and Milton. Helene caused tremendous flood damage, and Milton wind damage (fortunately for Tampa Bay the center of circulation was south of us, near Sarasota). Winds from Milton destroyed 32 hangars at Albert Whitted Airport in downtown St. Petersburg. They also tore the roof from the Tropicana Dome, home of the Tampa Bay Rays; and toppled a construction crane from the new 400 Central high-rise condominium onto the Tampa Bay Times building across the street, causing major damage and street closure. Full recovery from these storms will take several years.
I was fortunate to escape damage to my home, hangar and aircraft. Some friends were not so lucky: several lost everything from storm surge into their homes on St. Pete Beach and along the Little Manatee River in Ruskin. Many pilot friends lost their hangars (and several their airplanes) to high winds at Albert Whitted Airport and Manatee Airport, our old family field on the south side of Tampa Bay.
New Contemporary Art
I had “finished” Water and Sky before my trip, but it just didn’t feel right. So after I got back I continued work until it felt complete.
Water and Sky is part of a series of 28” x 28” collages that feature the sky imagery I have photographed over the past decade.
Which Direction and Magic Carpet are also in this series and are completely new, and are something of a new direction in the series. Expect more pieces with similar, bold geometrical characteristics in coming weeks.
Water and Sky, 28 in x 28in collage on mat, 2024
Which Direction, 28in x 28in collage on mat, 2024
Magic Carpet, 28in x 28in collage on mat, 2024
