The exhibition "Caravaggio and his followers", featuring an outstanding collection of works by the famous Baroque painter and a group of pieces by artists of the time, opens on October 25th, 2012 at the National Museum of Fine Arts of Buenos Aires.

As part of the commemoration of fourth centenary of death of Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (1571-1610), his works will be accompanied by more than twenty pieces by artists of the period, influenced by his production and techniques, among them: Artemisia Gentileschi, Cavarozzi Bartolomeo, Giovanni Baglione, Hendrick van Somer and José de Ribera, which works come from Italian institutions and private collections in Italy, Malta and England.

Some of the paintings belong to three of the state's most prestigious museums Italy: Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica di Palazzo Barberini and Galleria Borghese (Rome) and the Galleria degli Uffizi (Florence). Additionally, there are paintings from the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica in Palazzo Corsini, Galeria Spada, Museo Diocesano Prenestino di Arte Sacra, and Galleria Nazionale delle Marche.

Caravaggio was born in 1571, probably in Milan and moved with his family to Caravaggio in 1576, fleeing from the plague that ravaged his hometown. Trained in Milan and Rome, Caravaggio then traveled to Naples, Malta, Syracuse, Messina and Palermo, running from one place to another because of her tumultuous life, and died young, in 1610. These trips allowed the rapid dissemination of his painting, and his work and technique used were the inspiration for his followers (“Caravaggistas”).

The first part of the exhibition consists of the works by the great master: St. Jerome Writing (1605-1606), from the collection of Galleria Borghese; Saint Francis in Meditation (1606), from the Palazzo Barberini; Medusa (1597), from a private collection, and John the Baptist, seventeenth century painting from a private collection, both on display for the first time after their authenticity has been proven.

Also, the portrait of Cardinal (Benedetto Giustiniani), (1599-1600), from Galleria degli Uffizi, which comes out of Italy for the first time; San Genaro beheaded (1610) (attributed to Caravaggio) from the collection of the Diocesan Museum; and San Francisco in meditation (1606-1618), author's copy, from a private collection.

The rest of the exhibition is made up by works by fourteen artists influenced by Caravaggio, who adopted his technique, and comes complete by the large group of Baroque pieces from the permanent collection of the National Museum of Fine Arts, by Bartolomeo Cavarozzi, Luca Giordano, Francisco de Zurbarán, Peter Paul Rubens, Rembrandt van Rijn Harmensz, and José de Ribera, among others.

Location: Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Av. del Libertador 1473, Recoleta

Dates: October 25 - December 15, 2012

Opening hours:

Tuesday to Friday, 12:30 pm to 8:30 pm

Saturdays and Sundays: 9:30 am to 8:30 pm

Mondays closed

FREE ADMITTANCE

Many events of interest will take place during the second Week of Buenos Aires Gastronomy ("Semana de la Gastronomía Porteña") organized by the Association of Hotels, Bars and Cafes and the Tourism Entity of the City of Buenos Aires. Multiple activities related to the Buenos Aires food scene will take place in various parts of the city from October 5th to October 12ht, 2012.

The program of activities of the week includes free cooking demonstrations and classes in different parts of the city of Buenos Aires:

Friday 5, 4:00 pm: Chef Patissier Osvaldo Gross at Barrancas de Belgrano, 11 de Septiembre & Echeverria

Saturday 6, 4:00 pm: Chef Guillermo Buschiazzo in Palermo, Av.Infanta Isabel & Av. Iraola (near the Rose Garden)

Sunday 7, 4:00 pm: Chef Soledad Nardelli in Palermo, Av.Infanta Isabel & Av. Iraola (near the Rose Garden)

Monday 8, 4:00 pm: Chef Doli Irigoyen in Plaza de Mayo, Av. Rivadavia & Reconquista

Bars, cafes, dining establishments and hotels, identified with posters referring to the event will offer special promotions and discounts throughout the week. The complete list can be found by accessing thei website Probá Buenos Aires.

Autoclasica 2012 will pay tribute to the Argentine race driver José Froilán González, in his 90th birthday. 

The exhibition is complemented with the celebration of the 65th anniversary of Ferrari, the 110th anniversary of Cadillac; and many other special attractions.

Autoclasica features 800 vehicles in their original state, and in perfect working conditions, as well as the famous Argentine "Monopostos".

For collectors, the classic "Autojumble", with over 100 stands offering antique pieces and accessories, books, models, and auto clubs stands from around the country.

A jury will award the most outstanding vehicles in every category of the Fédération Internationale des Véhicules Anciens (FIVA) in exhibition, and the "Best of Show” between autos and motorcycles of the year.

Dates: October 5, 6, 7, 8, 2012

Opening hours: 10 am to 6.30 pm

Location: Hipódromo de San Isidro, Av. Santa Fe and Av. Márquez, San Isidro, Province of Buenos Aires.

Entrance: $ 50 Pesos. Children under 12: free
Parking: $ 25 Pesos

Not suspended for rain.

The traditional Tortugas Country Club Open Polo Championship, where some of the teams with the highest handicap in the world will be disputing the Emilio de Anchorena Cup, will kick off on Tuesday, September 25th, 2012

This is the first of the three great Polo Open Championships in the 2012 Official Spring Season of the Argentine Polo Association, marking the start of the honorable "Triple Crown" of Argentine Polo, also made up by the 119th Hurlingham Club Open and the 119th Argentine Open in Palermo.

Participating Teams:

Zone A

Ellerstina: Facundo Pieres 10, Gonzalo Pieres Jr 10, Nicolas Pieres 9, Mariano Aguerre 9. Total: 38.

Pilará: Hilario Ulloa 9, Francisco Bensadon 9, Sebastian Merlos 9, Francisco de Narvaez Jr 8. Total: 35.

La Natividad: Pablo Pieres 8, Ignacio Heguy 9, Rodrigo Riberiro de Andrade 8, Bartolome Castagnole 9. Total: 34

Zone B

La Dolfina: Adolfo Cambiaso (Jr) 10, David Stirling Jr 10, Pablo Mac Donough 10, Juan Martín Nero 10. Total: 40.

La Aguada: Javier Novillo Astrada 9, Guillermo Caset Jr 9, Miguel Novillo Astrada 9, Ignacio Novillo Astrada 9. Total: 36.

Alegria: Frederick Mannix 8, Lucas Monteverde 9, Agustin Merlos 9, Juan Ignacio Merlos 8. Total 34.

Fixture:

Tuesday, September 25:

4:00pm: Pilara vs La Natividad (1)

Wednesday, September 26:

4:00pm: La Aguada vs Alegria (2)

Saturday, Septembner 29:

4:00pm: Ellerstina vs Loser Match 1

Sunday, September 30:

4:00pm: La Dolfina vs Loser Match 2

Saturday, October 13:

4:00pm: Ellerstina vs Pilará

Sunday, October 14:

4:00pm: La Dolfina vs La Aguada

Thursday, October 25:

4:00 pm: FINAL - LA DOLFINA vs ELLERSTINA
AT CAMPO ARGENTINO DE POLO IN PALERMO (AV. LIBERTADOR & DORREGO)
Tickets: $ 110 - $ 280 - $ 420 Pesos, on sale at the stadium

FINAL RESULT:
ELLERSTINA CHAMPION OF THE 2012 TORTUGAS OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

The Government of the City of Buenos Aires organizes the Immigrants Day Celebration, with an open air festival at the park surrounding the Planetarium Galileo Galilei (Av. Sarmiento & Figueroa Alcorta), on Sunday, September 23, 2012.

Groups representing the different communities that reside in the city of Buenos Aires will offer their typical dances, gastronomy and culture, in an event for the whole family.

At 11 am, representatives of the different communities will participate in a parade around the Rose Garden's lake with their typical costumes.

On a large stage at the Planetarium, over 40 dance and music shows by 500 artists from 60 communities will be presented throughout the day.

There will stands offering typical crafts, regional products, and traditional food and drinks.

The "Immigrants Day" was instituted on September 4, 1949, with the purpose of paying a permanent and public tribute to the immigrants of all times.

The celebrations will start at 11.00 am.

"La Semana del Arte 2012" (Buenos Aires Art Week 2012), the most important art event in Buenos Aires, will start on Sunday, September 23rd, 2012. For the ninth consecutive year, nearly 100 art galleries, museums, and cultural centers will take part in a seven-day event in which visitors will be able to enjoy guided visits, conferences, concerts, special Gallery Nights, and diverse cultural and artistic activities, all of them free of charge.

Schedule of activities:

Sunday 23:

3.00 pm: Inauguration of Buenos Aires Art Week 2012 at La Usina del Arte, Av. Don Pedro de Mendoza 501, La Boca, with a free concert by Esteban Morgado Cuarteto - Tango.

Free tickets must be picked up on Thursday 20, Friday 21 and Saturday 22, from 11am to 6pm at La Usina del Arte (limited capacity).

Tuesday 25 to Friday 28:

Every day at 4.30 PM: Program of free guided visits led by professional guides, starting at the meeting points of all circuits: Retiro, Barrio Norte, San Telmo, Palermo, Centro.

Wednesday 26:

7.00 pm: Special GALLERY NIGHTS in Palermo

Thursday 27:

7:00 pm: Special GALLERY NIGHTS in San Telmo and Puerto Madero

Friday 28:

7:00 pm: Special GALLERY NIGHTS in Centro, Plaza San Martin, Retiro, Recoleta and Barrio Norte

Saturday 29:

12.00 - 4.00 pm: Closing of the event with "BIC Kids Drawing Festival". Free activities for the whole family at the Rose Garden in Palermo, Av. Figueroa Alcorta & Sarmiento. (all material provided by BIC company), art workshops, music, puppets and entertainers. 

For more information on meeting points for guided visits, daily activities at the participating art galleries, and Gallery Nights circuits, visit La Semana del Arte 2012 official website (in Spanish only).

This event is part of a program of festivities destined to pay homage to the different communities present in the city, that has been carried out throughout the year. This time the invited country will be Italy, in an artistic and cultural event that will take place on Sunday, October 14th, 2012, at the corner of Avenida de Mayo and Bolivar.

The event will start at 12.00 pm. Musical shows and dance groups will represent the varied Italian culture. An exhibition of antique cars from Club Fiat Clásicos will showcase several cars from the Italian factory. 

At 5:30 pm the Symphonic Band of Buenos Aires will be presented an award dedicated to it´s founder, Antonio Malvagni, to culminate with a classical music concert.

Visitors will also be able to taste typical Italian dishes, like cannoli, sfogliatella, crustoli, calzone and gelatti italiani; and purchase crafts from all regions in Italy, among other activities.

In case of rain the event will be postponed to Saturday, October 20th, 2012.

The French Week in Buenos Aires "Vivi Francia 2012" will take place from September 16th to 23rd, 2012, organized by the French-Argentine Commerce and Industry Chamber (CCIFA), and sponsored by the French Embassy and the Ministry of Culture of the City of Buenos Aires. A series of activities to enjoy French culture, art, gastronomy, fashion, music and architecture, free and open to all, including free guided visits to French buildings in Buenos Aires, a movie festival at Alliance Francaise, make-up and fashion shows, art exhibitions, concerts, and a gastronomic festival.

Some of the scheduled activities are:

Visit to the French Embassy:

Sunday, September 16th, 2012, 11:00am to 4:00 pm: Joining the celebration of European Heritage Days (Journées européennes du patrimoine), the French Embassy in Argentina will open its doors to the public. This will allow visitors to discover the Palace Ortiz Basualdo (photo), home to the French Embassy since 1939, built by French architect Paul Parter in 1912.

Besides the main entrance and the honor staircase, the public will be invited to visit the reception halls in the first floor, which make the Palace Ortiz Basualdo a significant example of the French influence in the Argentine architecture.
Accessing the second floor, visitors will admire the main dining room, the music room in a Louis XV style with Chinese decoration, the ball room, its mirrors and its painted boards, as well as the XVI century English style winter garden.
The French Embassy is located in Cerrito 1399, Recoleta.
An ID is required to enter the Embassy (Passport or DNI). No pictures will be allowed inside the residence.

French market "Le Marche":

Sunday, September 16th, 2012, 10:00am to 6:00 pm: An authentic French Market will be installed in Buenos Aires, in the Coubertin square (next to the the French Embassy), Visitors will be able to taste and purchase French bakeries and different specialties of the French cuisine. 

Guided visits:

Tuesday 18, 3:00pm: "Art, Palaces and Landscape" - Meeting Point: Av. Libertador & Mariscal Castilla (Palermo Chico)
Wednesday 19, 3:00pm: "Old road to Santa Fe" - Meeting Point:: Av. Santa Fe and Montevideo
Thursday 20, 3:00pm: "Interior of the Botanical Garden" - Meeting Point:: Av. Santa Fe & Las Heras
Friday 21, 3:00pm: "Elegant and distinguished Tango" - Meeting Point: Av. Libertador & Av. Callao

Language:

Conversation groups "Degustation de Francais", every day at a different location (free entrance)

YOK, the organization from the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, celebrates every year the "Urban Rosh Hashana", the Jewish New Year in the streets of Palermo Soho.

This time, for the celebration of the Rosh Hashana 5773, visitors will find typical food, talks, activities for kids, and a stage with live music and stand up comedy. The festivities will take place on Sunday, September 9th, 2012, at Armenia & Costa Rica, Palermo, from 12pm to 7pm.

Activities:

The exhibit will feature more than 40 architectural spaces that will make up the 7500 square meters of a renovated old building.

Casa FOA was born in 1985 as an initiative of Mercedes Malbrán de Campos and a group of ladies with the purpose of raising funds for the Argentine Ophthalmology Foundation "Jorge Malbrán" (FOA). With a growing success, Casa FOA has become one the most important events in the country´s cultural agenda.

The strategic selection of the venues and the careful and profound restoration of the chosen buildings give every edition of Casa FOA an indisputable value for the community, making it possible to associate its name not only to Argentine design but also to the preservation of buildings of great historic and cultural value, like: Casa de la Moneda (1995), Hotel de Inmigrantes (2000), Monasterio de Santa Catalina (2001), Casa del Patio de la Reconquista (2003), Hotel Avenida de Mayo (1991), Puerto Madero Dock 5 (1993), Palacio Alcorta (1994), Tattersal de Palermo (1998) Apostadero Naval (2000), Terrazas de Buenos Aires (2002), Tribuna II Palermo (2004), Puerto de Frutos de Tigre (2008), among others.

Dates: September 7 to October 14, 2012.

Opening hours: 12 noon to 8 PM

Location: Av. Regimiento de Patricios 1052, La Boca, Buenos Aires

Entry fee:

General: AR$ 60

Tuesdays: AR$ 30

Disabled and children under 12: Free

Casa FOA official website.

The great Roger Federer, one of the world's best tennis players of all times, and the Argentine Juan Martin del Potro, currently world No 8, will offer two exhibition matches in Argentina, on Wednesday, December 12th and Thursday, December 13th, 2012, in the suburb of Tigre, province of Buenos Aires.

The matches will be played in a hardcourt surface stadium specially built for the occasion, next to the Puerto de Frutos de Tigre, with capacity for 20,000 spectators .

The organizers have announced a second date after tickets for the first date were sold out in a few hours. Tickets for the match on December 13th will go on sale through www.tuentrada.com on Sunday, August 26th, at 10am.

For people who want to secure their places in advance, there are tour companies offering a full package that includes transfers, tickets, permanent coordinator, and snacks. Contact me to receive information about this service.

Argentina will be hosting the Czech Republic for the Semifinals of the Davis Cup on clay at the Estadio Parque Roca in Buenos Aires on September 14th, 15th and 16th, 2012.  Argentina and Czech Republic have met on four previous occasions, with the Czechs leading 3-1. However, this will be Czech Republic’s first visit to Parque Roca, the venue that has become a fortress for the Argentine team, who are yet to be beaten there. 

Argentina are bidding to reach the Final for the second straight year. In fact, the Argentines have the unwanted record of reaching the most Finals - four - without winning the title.

The dates and times of the matches are:
Friday 14th, 10:45 am;
Saturday 15th, 12:30 pm
Sunday 16tht, 10:45 am.

Location: Estadio Parque Roca. Av. Roca y Escalada, Buenos Aires.
Tickets are on sale at Ticketek Argentina website.
More information: Davis Cup official website.

For people who want to secure their places in advance, there are tour companies offering a full package that includes transfers, tickets for the three days (abono), permanent coordinator, and snacks. Contact me to receive information about this service.

The fixture of football (soccer) matches in Buenos Aires for the second half of the year 2012 has been announced. It comprises the matches in the National Tournament "Torneo Inicial 2012" the international tournament "Copa Sudamericana" (South American Cup), and the Qualifying matches for Brazil Wold Cup 2014 .

The "Superclasico" River vs Boca, defined as one of the most fascinating sports experiences worldwide, will take place on October 28th at River Plate Stadium.

Don't miss the opportunity of attending one of these exciting games the easiest and safest way, with a service that includes tickets, transfers, and bilingual host, provided by one of the leading companies in football tours. Contact me and make your reservation!

AUGUST 2012

Schedule subject to change of dates and addition of matches, please check regularly on this post for updates

The XVII Encuentros Abiertos - Festival de la Luz (Festival of Light), will be held from August 1st to September 30th, 2012 in Museums, Cultural Centers, Galleries and Art Venues in 30 cities in Argentina, in the provinces of Buenos Aires, Neuquén, Salta, San Juan, Catamarca, Chaco, Chubut, Córdoba, Corrientes, Entre Ríos, Jujuy, La Pampa, La Rioja, Mendoza, Misiones, Río Negro, San Luis, Santa Cruz, Santa Fe, Tierra del Fuego and Tucumán. 

Festival de la Luz is the most important photography biennial exhibition in Latin America., consisting of several photographic activities, all of them free of charge, except the Portfolios Forum. The activities will be divided into different groups:

Exhibitions: Photographic exhibitions at museums and cultural centers around the country, under the 2012 theme "The Passion".  

Lectures: conferences, workshops and round tables specialized on Art Photography and their contemporary topics. 

Portfolio´s Forum: a meeting place between photographers and curators, that can help artists with their work. National and international curators, collectors, editors, directors of spaces of art and festivals, which can exhibit, publish or acquire their works. 

Actions: calls, contests, video art, presentation and signing of books and performances. 

Workshops: dictated for national and international experts.

Urban Interventions: exhibitions, projections and other actions in open spaces, that interfere in the everyday life of the people. 

Projections and Video Art 

The Festival of Light is an international collaboration of 27 photography festivals around the world. This cooperation has a common website: www.festivaloflight.net, and a continuous exchange of exhibitions, activities and participants. The Festival of Light - FOL is integrated by the cities of: Aleppo, Atlanta, Ballarat, Bamako, Braga, Brasilia, Bratislava, Buenos Aires, Derby, Cracovia, Houston, Kaunas, Lodz, Luxembourg,  Mexico, Montreal, Moscow, Odense, Paris, Portland, Porto Alegre, Tampere, Tenerife, Thessaloniki, Toronto. 

For more information on schedules and venues, visit Festival de la Luz official website

Called "Meraviglie dalle Marche", or Marvels from the Marche, this exhibition displays a valuable collection of paintings from an Italian region rich in natural beauty and artistic heritage, culturally important for the quality and number of artists who have contributed much to the pictorial art in Italy and the world. It 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.

The paintings, spanning more than 400 years of Italian religious art, are on loan from public and Church-owned museums in Urbino, Ancona, Ascoli Piceno, Fabriano, Loreto, Jesi and six other cities and towns in the Marche region. The exhibition is a significant tour of the Italian religious iconography ranging from the late Gothic tables - in the late XIV - XV century, by painters Olivuccio Ciccarello and Paolo Veneziano, to the monumental neoclassicism of Adolfo de Carolis from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.The exhibited works come from:

Location: