Thick fog, fine ash

Satellite photo from NASA, June 13, 2011 showing the ash plume

The eruption of Puyehue-Cordon Caulle volcano in southern Chile on June 4th was not an isolated regional disaster, but a six mile high explosion of fire, magma and fumes that has disrupted weather eastward across South America and westward as far as Australia and New Zealand.   During the week following the volcanic activity, Uruguay experienced dense fog, violent winds, torrential rain and dramatic thunderstorms.  Clouds of ash reduced the horizon of the Rio de la Plata to a grey smudge, and my afternoon session on the beach taking  moody, Turneresque photos resulted in red eyes and irritated lungs.  ( It wasn't until the next day that a notice in the newspaper warned people not to wear contact lenses, a precaution that hadn't crossed my foggy mind.)    Drifting volcanic ash plumes continue to affect air quality and paralyze air travel;  last Friday 66 flights in and out of Carrasco Airport were cancelled.  We are grounded - another irritant!

Fog shrouds the Playa Ramirez in Montevideo

Parque Rodo - ashes to ashes

  The most noticeable immediate impact of volcanic activity is a widespread cold snap, as hot air from the blast rises, cools and wets.  The Antofagasta area  in northern Chile had a severe, unprecedented snowfall on July 5th.  Although we haven't had any snow here, the past month of near-freezing temperatures in Uruguay has been a brutal episode for homeless people living on the streets.  Following five deaths amongst "sin techo" victims of exposure,  the government ordered mandatory pick-up and sheltering of anyone found sleeping on the sidewalk in Montevideo.  

A cardboard box is home for this poor person

 Friends living in Mendoza province may be boasting about the free fertilizer that will enrich their vineyard soil and improve the flavour of their wines, but they should also be aware that volcanoes have huge carbon footprints and spew chemicals that deplete the ozone layer, contaminate soil and disturb the ecosystem.  Sulfur dioxide, hydrochloric acid and hydrogen fluoride are toxins that are potentially hazardous for plants and animals. Ash-covered fields are not conducive to crop-growing or livestock-grazing until the ash has washed away and filtered down through multiple layers of soil.  The possible chemical fallout from volcanic activity is described in this detailed article published by the U.S government.

As we wait for the sky to clear, I am staying home to dust the woodwork, wearing my old-fashioned glasses and a thick, wool sweater.

Diomedes Libros

The fun starts with the bargain tables on the sidewalk

The bookstore in our neighbourhood bears the name of Diomedes, the Greek warrior/hero whose discipline, bravery, cunning and resourcefulness are described by Homer in the Iliad.  Diomedes Libros is a literary labyrinth, a jumble of used books that invites readers to spend time browsing, hunting and gathering.  When you take a book from the shelf at Diomedes you discover that there's another layer, a row of fascinating titles hidden behind the first.  Your only option is to remove the line of books from the front row and pile those volumes on the floor in order to get a look at the full selection. Books line the aisles in chaotic disarray, a librarian's nightmare that demands rummaging through volumes of politics, psychology, religion, history and poetry in order to find an English novel. The store has a distinct odour of mildew, old leather and damp paper.   This shopping experience is a far cry from the quick, clean, easy transactions completed at Chapters Indigo in Canada.  

A mountain of inventory

Seek and ye shall find.  

For those brave enough to face the challenge, book-lovers who don't mind getting their hands dirty, there is treasure buried in the stacks at Diomedes.  This children's book entitled "Canada" written by David Scott Daniell in the 1950s and published by Ediciones Albon in Barcelona, was my reward for digging deep.

Written in Spanish, the story charts the journey of Alison and John as they make a trip from London England to Canada.  They tour all the regions of the nation, and just like the Royal couple the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (Prince William and Kate), the fictional characters encounter a host of Canuck stereotypes along the way.  I love the retro-style illustrations by Jack Matthew.

Fishermen in Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia

View from the Citadel,  Quebec City

A log cabin in the Laurentians, Quebec with busy beaver 

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Ottawa, Ontario

Farmers harvesting wheat in Saskatchewan

Indians ( aboriginals)  in Calgary, Alberta

Cowboys at the Calgary Stampede

Trapper in the great white Northwest Territories

Bears in the Rocky Mountains

Vancouver, British Columbia

Boarding the return flight

As Alison and John reflect on their visit to Canada, they come to the conclusion that "Canada is very big, very rich and all its people work hard and are happy."

 What a find -  especially during a week when Canada's national newspaper The Globe and Mail is presenting daily highlights of the Royal Visit   complete with images that are remarkably similar to the illustrations in this book, drawn over 50 years ago.  From Mounties to aboriginal drummers in traditional dress, not much has changed in our home and native land.

The Royal couple visit Yellowknife, NWT

Classical Music and Mink Coats

It was a cold winter evening in Montevideo and many of the ladies attending the concert at Auditorio Nacional del Sodre sashayed down the aisle wearing full-length mink coats.  The fur and diamond sector of the audience contrasted the casually dressed President Pepe Mujica and his wife Lucia Topolansky  who took their places in the balcony a full 20 minutes late.  The musicians of the Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela filed onto the stage, tuned their instruments and waited for the entrance of Gustavo Dudamel, the celebrated young conductor listed by Time Magazine in 2009 as one of the most influential talents in the arts.

Gustavo Dudamel

Two things about the Venezuelan orchestra stood out, even before they played the first notes of Ravel's Daphne and Chloe: the size of the orchestra, and the fact that the players are all young.  This group is composed of a sea of violins and violas, a regiment of cellos, a battalion of brass, a league of woodwinds, a team of percussionists, a pair of harpists, and a mass of double bassists.

 Their sound is exceptionally rich, sensitive and dynamic.  The orchestra plays with gusto and obvious joy.

Dudamel's style of conducting is surprisingly understated, maintaining full control of the orchestra without flailing, bouncing, or dramatic head-shaking, and without looking at a score.  One has the feeling that a slight inclination of  his baby finger is enough to command the tempo and volume of an entire section.  He is also reluctant to hog the limelight when applause thunders through the auditorium.   Instead of bowing from the podium, Dudamel stands in the midst of the orchestra, shoulder-to-shoulder with the hard-working musicians, a gesture which says " I am but a cog in this creative machine."

Dudamel is only 30 years old and in addition to conducting the Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra,  is  Musical Director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Gothenburg Symphony and Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France.   He started his career in Barquisimeto, under the direction of Jose Antonio Abreu, founder of the Orquesta Juvenil Simon Bolivar in Venezuela.  Abreu established "El Sistema"  an educational program which uses classical music training as an engine for intellectual and social improvement.   Many of the current professional orchestra members are graduates of the system, which has effectively lifted them from situations of poverty.   "El Sistema" is being used as a model for developing music programs in many countries around the world, including Canada.

The enthusiastic response of the audience prompted two encore pieces.  The grand finale was a lively samba composition and the orchestra members couldn't resist moving to the rhythm.  The cellists twirled their instruments, the horns stood up and swayed, the drummers danced and yelled  "Bravo!" in unison.   It was the perfect whimsical end to a resounding, memorable musical performance.

Footnote:  President Mujica and his wife left the auditorium at the interval.  They missed the best part of the performance.

Arapey Thermal

The five-star hotel appears on the horizon in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by vast stretches of open land inhabited by sheep, cattle and the occasional ostrich.  This isolated place north of Salto, Uruguay, is Arapey Thermal, a destination where total immersion in hot mineral springs, white terrycloth bathrobes, lounge chairs and enormous helpings of barbecued meat engender a relaxed sense of well-being. 

Buqebus aircraft



 We are booked for two days, all-inclusive, courtesy of Buquebus, a company that offers boat, bus and air travel throughout Uruguay, Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina.  Their fleet of aircraft are ATR 72-500 high wing propeller planes made in France - a practical and eco-friendly option for short-distance flights.  The Buquebus advertising states that these airplanes are more fuel-efficient and less noise polluting than regular jets.  



Resort bracelet, just like a hospital band

The restaurant has an indoor asado, which is always full of beef. There's a long line-up for carne.

The extensive salad bar is virtually untouched.

Spa fashion



Steaming pools and tropical foliage



The water temperature is 38 degrees Celsius

  

Outdoor pools of varying depths

The thermal pools are fed by natural hot springs, and the water contains healing minerals.  We are surprised (and more than a little pleased) to find that the outdoor pools are empty, although the afternoon weather is sunny and warm enough for swimming and lounging.  That's warm by our Canadian standards - the Argentine and Uruguayan guests find 23 degrees Celsius far too cold!  They've congregated at the indoor pool, which is crowded with bathers who float in the warm water, bodies buoyed by styrofoam tubes, while a recording of Deva Premal's hypnotic yoga music is played on the stereo system.  When it's time for afternoon snack (la merienda) everyone gets out, dons terrycloth robes and flip-flops and heads en masse to the bar.   







 The Arapey Thermal is a fine place to simply retreat from the world sans the distraction of computers, cellphones and newspapers.  We sit outside on the terrace in the evening, enjoy a glass of wine and instead of television, watch the total eclipse of the moon. 





Landscape as Muse (or open pit mine)

When Brazilian film director Charly Braun conceived the premise for the movie "Por El Camino" he cast the Uruguayan landscape in a starring role.  The rolling hills, forests, pristine beaches and blue lagoons of the beautiful area surrounding Rocha provide a sumptuous setting for a romantic love story and on-the-road adventure which involves Santiago (an Argentinean played by Esteban Feune de Colombi) and Juliette (a Belgian played by Jill Mulleady).  

The film presents semi-documentary sections highlighting the eccentric characters encountered by the couple as they travel around Uruguay.  The people they meet include hippies in a mountain commune, fashion models in Punta del Este, gauchos at the rodeo, and a wealthy godfather who owns a luxury property near Rocha.  These individuals offer advice and commentary that lends depth to the film's exploration of the national psyche.  A definite sense of place evolves in this movie, and the viewer comes away enchanted by the uniqueness of both the location and its inhabitants.

I came home from the movie theatre still picturing the sweeping panoramic shots of horses galloping across green fields, images of the sand dunes at sunset, rocky hills and natural hot springs. 

The newspaper article published the next day shook me abruptly out of the dreamy state induced by "Por el Camino".  The headlines revealed that a Swiss company, Zamin Ferrous, is planning a large scale open pit mine to be located in the center of Uruguay.  Minera Aratiri will be the largest of its kind in South America, covering 120,000 hectares of rural land around Cerro Chato and producing 18 million tons of iron ore per year for 30 years.  A pipeline extending  200 kilometres to the coast will move the ore to a processing plant and deep sea port near the town of Castillos, where it will be loaded onto freighters for shipment to China.  

The Uruguayan government is in favour of the mining development, though local residents are not so enthusiastic about a project which requires the relocation of 2,500 people and will have lasting negative impact on the landscape, watershed and soil.  The land in the Cerro Chato area is currently used for raising livestock and growing high quality rice.   The explosives used to create the open pits will destroy some of the most fertile land in the country, a fact which cannot be compensated by the estimated income of $40 million U.S. per annum in the coffers of the Uruguayan government, or the promise of employment opportunities for local people.  

There is also growing opposition in Rocha's seaside towns where tourism is the main industry.  The proposed processing plant and deep sea port will be located right next to major resorts, attractive beaches and ecologically sensitive sand dunes.   It will require a lot of electricity, and Zamin Ferrous has planned a coal-fired power plant to meet its industrial needs.  No one wants to spend their vacation sitting on a polluted beach next to a factory zone!

I advise anyone who is interested in seeing Uruguay to book a ticket as soon as possible.  The landscape is stunning, but it is not protected.   The untouched, natural Uruguay seen in the movies is teetering on the brink of destruction.  Kudos to director Charly Braun for his artistry and excellent timing.  No doubt "Por el Camino" will soon be billed as a nostalgic classic film that captures the essence of pre-industrial Uruguay.

Here's a news update on the Zamin Ferrous project.

Ghosts

The graffiti came first, claiming the presence of a ghost.  It's an urban legend that the vacant house on Boulevard Espana is haunted, but the sight of a spectral figure glowing in an upstairs window could hardly be more disturbing than the sign that appeared one morning on the fence.  

Doomed

Demolition company sign

A developer has purchased the property and will soon start demolition to make way for yet another high-rise apartment building.

I am appalled to see the full-scale transformation of Montevideo taking place rapidly, without protest, as irreplaceable built heritage is reduced to rubble overnight.  The newspaper El Pais reports that the construction boom is happening so fast and furiously, that developers are going ahead with projects without waiting for the proper municipal permits to be issued.  The fines for non-compliance are less than fees for permits, and can be paid after the fact, when the building is already in place.  If a newly-constructed apartment building happens to be five storeys higher than the limit - no problem - a cash payment to the authorities will suffice.

As for a heritage registry, I am informed that there is an inventory of valued buildings in the city, but that it has absolutely no effect in preventing demolition.  If the proposed construction project is backed by a sufficient amount of money, then anything is possible.

Doomed

This house around the corner on 21 de Setiembre is another ghost.  It was recently sold by the owner to a developer for a very large sum, and is destined to be replaced with an apartment tower.

Changing streetscape in Parque Rodo 

What to expect - an uninspired, ugly new tower  right next door

Gaps like this are common in Montevideo's older neighbourhoods

Remains of a once elegant interior

Is this one next?  

Or this one?

Then this one?

Or this one?

The ghosts will disappear, but Montevideans will be forever haunted by what they have lost; the fabric of a beautiful city full of history, character and charm.  Progress?  I think not.

“Historic buildings are a proud and significant part of our, and every, nation’s heritage. They are an irreplaceable element of the collective memory of local communities…They contribute both to our sense of identity and to that regional distinctiveness which is so valuable and so vulnerable.” 
                                                                                        - Stevens, J, Sir. (past) Chairman English Heritage.

Javier Bassi

The upstairs gallery at the Museo Nacional de Artes Visuales is as spacious as a ballroom, and its high-gloss hardwood floor seems to extend an invitation to dance. It might be fun, but waltzing would be inappropriate here, as  I am reminded by both the presence of a surly security guard and the imposing series of paintings by Javier Bassi - sombre, large, black rectangles that march along the walls like a funeral procession.  At first glance this looks like an exhibition of  formal, minimalist abstract canvases (i.e. serious stuff.)

Installation view of "In/visibilidad" exhibition

The labels reveal that Bassi's work is not pure abstraction, but a combination of collage and painting.  The artist uses black toner (the same carbon chemical used in photocopiers and printer cartridges) applied over a layer of classified ads that have been pasted to the canvas.  The off-white streaks that read as brush marks are actually areas where the underlying newsprint is exposed.

Detail, with classified ads barely visible under the toner

In some of the paintings Bassi allows his technique to be deciphered, revealing fragments of the printed page, while in other works, the toner completely covers  the ads.  The viewer has to question the presence and function of the submerged, invisible content.  What significance does a totally obscured image have?

Classified ads are published to meet the needs of those who wish to buy, sell, trade or hire.  "Want ads" they are called, and indeed the classified section manages to address just about every human desire: transportation, clothing, shelter, furniture, food, tools, collectibles, pets, education, employment, even personal relationships are offered.   The ads form an enticing grid of possibilities for gratification.

"Mi linea como trampa" 200 x 480 cm

I am a fan of haiku, and enjoy the sense of surprise and simple insights that these succinct verses offer.   I read the following haiku in The Heron's Nest magazine and said "Aha!" as the Bassi series came to mind.

migrating geese-

the things we thought we needed

darken the garage

- Chad Lee Robinson

"Ice Cream Memory" 100 x 130 cm

Bassi's paintings, like the dark, overloaded garage, represent weighty accumulations rather than voids. All the things listed in the ads are stored under layered shadows that effectively cancel any initial attraction.   Both visual artist and haiku poet are making statements that mock materialism and the human weakness for possessions.

   

Instead of being encumbered with a lot of things, wouldn't it be nice to be airborne, like the migrating birds?  And wouldn't it be nice to just go ahead and dance, when you have the urge?

"In/visibilidad" by Javier Bassi continues at the MNAV until July 10, 2011.  The exhibition catalogue, with images, artist's biography and curatorial essays, is available online.