“It is not the function of art to break down open doors but rather to open locked ones. But when the artist discovers new realities, he does not do so for himself alone; he does it also for others, for all those who want to know what sort of a world they live in, where they come from, and where they are going,” Ernst Fischer poses as a sign to understand, among other things, the possibility of an art collection. Thus, Colección Pampa is assembled based on a firm belief: art not only acts as a means for developing identity, but also possesses a transformative power, adept at having an impact on reality, and at the same time inviting us to think about identity issues and our relationship with the environment. Hence, the works that integrate Colección Pampa are vehicles of cultural, historical, and social expression that mirror present-day complexities.
To achieve this key purpose, there is a commitment to Argentine art that goes beyond the mere contemplation of artistic manifestations. There is a constant support for developing the artists and their production through rigorous management and sustained philanthropic backing. We know art has the potential to generate deep changes and, under this premise, we actively work on creating new audiences in order to expand their visibility and encourage their interaction with both local and international audiences.
One of Colección Pampa fundamental cornerstones is democratizing access to art. We believe that it is essential, it must be available in digital form and free of charge; this is how we allow a connection between people and visual arts from anywhere in the world.
On the one hand, the digital nature of the collection not only removes geographical and socioeconomic barriers, but also encourages new readings and critical insights. Technology allows expanding physical boundaries and enables more people to participate in the aesthetic and conceptual experience regardless of their location or social status. This way, the creation of new audiences is heightened, not only for the enjoyment of art, but also as a means for personal and collective insight and transformation.
On the other hand, this free access is not a mere tool for exposure: it is a commitment to the idea that art belongs to everyone, in line with this global and interactive era. A collection open to the world fosters a dynamic and contemporary dialogue about past and present, while allowing several interpretations and diverse perspectives.
Likewise, the Colección Pampa works´ preservation is a vital feature of this project; they are considered as living objects and related to interdisciplinary practices and reflections. By offering digital and free access, it strives not only for heritage preservation, but also to make it available and relevant for new generations.
The commitment to advocating and supporting Argentine art abroad is ironclad and consistent with the conviction that the art from our country has a powerful voice worthy of being heard globally. For this reason, there is a substantial effort to be done so that the works of Argentine artists reach the widest and most diverse audiences possible. The mission of promotion and international projection strengthens the presence of Argentine art in the world and consolidates it as a catalyst for cultural and social change. Likewise, Colección Pampa views management, support, and exposure of Argentine art as a continuous and constantly evolving undertaking to strengthen the artists´ reach to accomplish a prominent place on the global stage.
Alvaro Rufiner
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Like almost all art collections, Pampa was gathered over time; it achieved its own profile without a previously outlined plan. It was born because we love art; we get a great deal of pleasure every time we find artworks that surprise us and also expand our experience of the world with innovative ideas. After several years in this shared adventure, we became aware that the assembled collection brings to light some distinct features. The Pampa collection curatorship is focused on works that outline a possible profile of Argentine art. It is not defined by a trend, or a style, nor by generations. We selected works that give visibility to our country´s visual arts, along with the questions that signaled the way artists have reflected on local culture over the years. In this sense, we can think that Pampa´s identity is anchored in the notion of territory, and that the full collection has a conceptual axis built after the work Sur Andino [Andean South] by Nicolás García Uriburu: an inverted map of America, which takes the South as our North.
Setting off with Xul Solar´s language, linked to the European avant-garde, several decades are spanned up to the emerging current art. Among the collection milestones we can mention Villa Tachito [Little Pan Slum] by Berni, which denotes the moment when the artist began to think about his forthcoming Juanito Laguna series, painting the place where his character would live, a slum in Bajo Flores. Tiempos de Guerra [War Times] by Pablo Suárez is embodied in this latitude´s history, a work that attests the Malvinas War most agonizing moment, represented by the newspaper cover depicting the General Belgrano ship sinking. Among the groups that elude representation, an iconic painting by Carmelo Arden Quin (Orna, 1947) and one of the few paintings by Tomás Maldonado, the great theoretician of Concrete Art, stand out. Ad Minoliti and Chola Poblete question the patriarchal and hegemonic model of art, including a queer regard at decorative abstraction and an indigenist revision of identity and gender.
This web site is a work in progress, because the collection keeps growing. Our aim is to make Argentine art visible and to stand by the artists so that the South will cease to be a utopia and becomes a collective project.
Laura Batkis
CURATOR
Ana Quintanilla
Curatorial and Research Assistant
Rosario Villani y Lucia Nielsen
Research
Catalina Romero
Photography
Josefina Córdoba y Guido Della Bella
Design and Social Media