Magical Realism Latin American Women Photographers: Argentina
© Mar Nadler
Magical Realism
Argentina is unique in Latin America, and probably in the world, having moved from riches to rags over the last century. No wonder Buenos Aires is sometimes referred to as “the capital of an empire that never existed”, a subtle irony about a magnificent yet decaying metropolis in a country that defies easy understanding. This troubled trajectory has undeniably affected Argentines image of themselves and, unavoidably, how photographers have tried to portray their evolving reality.
Most of the 45 million Argentines still consider themselves an island made of European migrants stranded in a Latin American ocean. Many thousands km away from Europe and yet somehow part of it, at least culturally. The overwhelming majority of its population has Italian or Spanish roots, but many also claim Russian, German, Turkish, Armenian, Lebanese and many other ancestors that came to Buenos Aires when the country was among the world's richest. There are more EU citizens in Argentina than in several European countries. This idea is an intrinsic element of the country's psyche and self-image. Despite growing Latin American integration, they persist in considering Paris, Rome or Madrid their cultural and intellectual referent. However, with poverty affecting over one-third of all Argentines and huge inequalities, the country feels more and more Latin American.
(image left: © Veronica Romaneghi)
Just these contradictions, undermining the basic assumptions of what it means to be an Argentine, would be enough to destabilize its people and create deep anxieties. No wonder Buenos Aires is the world capital of tango, a music of nostalgia and loss, and also of psychoanalysis. At the same time, it remains an incredibly vibrant place, full of energy and culture, that never fails to seduce. Argentina constitutes a real-life experiment on the social consequences of decades of economic mismanagement and political conflict. But also, of people's resilience and ingenuity to overcome adverse circumstances, to survive and even thrive against all odds.
Argentine photographers embody these tensions and richness of life experiences. They are used to live on the edge, facing sudden and sometimes cataclysmic changes, stability is for them an alien concept. Always ready to adapt, to mix and fuse various sources of inspiration in a constantly evolving reality. Never afraid to risk and innovate, to create beauty against all odds. At the same time classic and experimental, even transgressor.
© Ximena Echague, Fernanda Pineda 2020