Si monumentum quaeris, circumspice

If you seek monuments in Montevideo, look around Parque Rodo.  This green oasis in the middle of the city is named after Jose Enrique Rodo, one of Uruguay's most influential writers and educators.

Rodo's essay "Ariel" written in 1900, has become a classic treatise for philosophical thinking in Latin America.  Composed in the style of a lecture given by professor Prospero to his students before they venture out into the world,  "Ariel" advocates humanistic rather than materialistic values. Rodo asserts that "The civilization of a country acquires its grandeur, not by its manifestations of material prosperity and predominance, but by the higher order of thinking or of feeling this makes possible."

Ariel is depicted emerging from the stone over the head of Rodo

Monument to Rodo, created by sculptor Jose Belloni in 1947

Rodo's essay also expresses a definite anti-American sentiment.   Although the 29 year-old author had never actually visited the U.S., he condemns North American culture as utilitarian, narrow, insensitive and greedy.  "Titanic in its enormous concentration of human will-power, in its unprecedented triumph in all spheres of material aggrandizement, its civilization yet produces as a whole a singular impression of insufficiency, of emptiness."  He warns against "nordomania" (fascination with North America), denounces the Puritan work ethic, and stresses the importance of developing a distinctly South American identity based on European values, particularly those of England, France and Spain.  The term "arielismo" still used today, refers to a sense of Latin American moral and spiritual superiority, steeped in idealism and marked with disdain for menial work driven by economic incentive.  

La despedidas de Giorgias

The bronze figures portrayed on either side of the monument represent scenes from two other works written by Rodo - Giorgia's Farewell and The Six Pilgrims.

Los seis peregrinos

The other side of the Rodo monument has a reflecting pool

The map of  Parque Rodo lists a total of 28 monuments spread over the landscaped grounds.   Here are some of the highlights among the eclectic mix of people represented.

Confucius, looking out to the river

"Monumento Cosmico" 1939  by Joaquin Torres-Garcia is pink granite engraved with  Pre-Columbian symbols 

Artigas monument, dedicated to "Las Instrucciones de 1813"

Curved wall of the monument serves as temporary shelter 

Albert Einstein (although it's hard to tell)

Neptune

Venus and Cupid

Venus, overlooking her pool

Fountain of the Athletes

William Tell

Parque Rodo has other attractions, including spaces for cultural events, a library, an art gallery, tennis courts, an amusement park, a photo gallery and an open air theatre.  Even Jose Enrique Rodo would approve of this park's contribution to the improvement of mind and body.

Castle which houses a children's library

Patio Andaluz, with tiled benches and central fountain

Carousel

Museo Nacional de Artes Visuales

Evening performance of the Montevideo Philharmonic Orchestra

Outdoor photo exhibition

Market in the park every Sunday

Green space for morning exercises

 "I am convinced that he who has learned to distinguish the delicate from the common, the ugly from the beautiful, has gone half the way to knowing the evil from the good."   - Jose Enrique Rodo


Postscript:
The Latin phrase "Si monumentum quaeris, circumspice" means "If you seek a monument, look around you." This is the inscription on the grave of architect Christopher Wren who is buried in St. Paul's Cathedral, the church which he designed.   It is also the inscription on my great-grandfather's tombstone in Nishatganj (Trans-Gogra) Lucknow, India.  Matthew Ridley was the Superintendent of Government Parks and Gardens in Lucknow from 1875 until his death in 1904.

Around Parque Rodo

The holiday season has been full of events and we've been busy enjoying the city's diverse offerings. Here's a sampling of some of the interesting things we've seen in our neighbourhood during the month of December.

Prior to Christmas, the Teatro Verano presented an evening of "Ballet under the Stars" featuring the Ballet Nacional Sodre directed by Julio Bocca.  The outdoor venue is a fully-equipped bandshell style stage with stadium seating carved into a hill in Parque Rodo.  The evening's program included Act II of Swan Lake, the Pas de Deux of the Black Swan, both beautifully performed with classical precision.  The breeze ruffled white feathers on the dancers' tutus as a storm blew over, but a minor rainshower did nothing to dampen the spirits of the audience.  I love the fact that this type of casual plein air venue and the reasonable ticket price (130 pesos) attract viewersto a performance that they might never take in at the more formal Teatro Solis or Sodre. The acceptable behaviour code is more relaxed for an audience seated in a large amphitheatre, a setting where it's perfectly okay to leave your seat to go and buy a Coke at the concession partway through the performance.  There were lots of families in attendance, teenagers, seniors and babies, too.  Everyone had a great time and by the end of the evening the sponsors had raised a considerable amount of money for a good cause, to benefit Montevideo's pediatric hospital Pereira Rossell.

Bird by Oiva Toikka

Another highlight of this star-studded season was an exhibition called "Northern Stars: 20th century Finnish Design" presented at the Museo Nacional de Artes Visuales located at the south end of the park at the corner of Av. Tomas Giribaldi.  This show, curated by the Museum of Design in Helsinki,  included stunning textiles, ceramics, glass and furniture, objects marked by the ultra-sleek styling, nature-inspired forms and bright colours of the Nordic aesthetic.  The installation featured large swaths of vivid Marimekko fabrics hung as room dividers in a stark white gallery, framing small groupings of exquisite clothing, chairs and kitchenware.  If you avoided looking out the windows at the palm trees in the park, you had the sensation of being in a Scandinavian interior.  I coveted the bird designed by Oiva Toikka, which cleverly suggested feathers by incorporating undulating veins of coloured glass.

Fabric design by Sanna Annukka 2008, Marimekko

Outside the hushed atmosphere of the art museum a bustling Christmas Market was going on in Parque Rodo, with stalls showcasing the work of Uruguayan artisans.  Jewellery, candles, silk scarves, fine wool sweaters, leather work and wooden objects were displayed and sold.  Often this type of show has low-level, homemade goods, but the quality of the work was excellent, as this craft fair was a juried show.

 I bought a beautiful Jugart wooden box for 360 pesos, secured with a  puzzle piece locking system in the shape of a bird.  This petite treasure chest has a pleasing smooth surface and exudes a sweet sandalwood fragrance when opened.

On Sunday afternoons during the summer months, Parque Rodo is a non-stop fiesta, throbbing with the resounding heartbeat of Montevideo - candombe drumming.  A form of music that originated in Africa, candombe was introduced by the black male population (read slaves) in Uruguay and appropriated by whites who made the art popular.  Read more about the history of drumming here. Today the troupes are mixed, with both black and white, male and female participants.  

The audience joins in as the hypnotic beat goes on for hours, alternating tempo and rhythm.  Women get up and dance a form of samba with fast, fancy footwork.  This is street ballet, with no strict rules or choreography, just a spontaneous celebration of joy.  As the sun goes down, the party continues....