“Without identity and adrift,”
those who had the task after December 10 of entering the
Borges Cultural Center
and witnessing what they found there are heard repeating. The space located in the heart of the
Galerías Pacífico
reopened to the public with new exhibitions and a new direction. But to get to the opening day, the photos and the congratulations, it was necessary to go through
three months of renovations
to create the minimum necessary conditions that would enable the return of
quality exhibitions
and provide it with a new artistic horizon.
As Clarín
learned
from sources involved in the restoration, the state in which the facilities were found at the time they set foot on the site was
“very worrying
. ”
Among the main infrastructure problems were
leaks
in many of the
offices and
exhibition rooms,
falling ceilings
and sectors that had been affected by
leaks
that occurred with the rains.
In turn, they discovered that the
electrical connections were poor
and the
fire protection system
was incomplete and, what was there,
obsolete
. Meanwhile,
the air conditioning systems showed failures
, which put the exhibition of works of art at risk. It is a fundamental requirement for artists and collectors to transfer their works to be exhibited that the rooms have correct
ventilation and controlled humidity systems
.
The Borges Cultural Center belonged to the Foundation for the Arts from 1995 to 2021. In the last years of this administration, its programming was characterized, in many cases, by the
low quality of its samples
, the lack of
project
direction , and the
loan of rooms
to anyone who wanted to occupy the space, whether productions arising from workshops. neighborhoods or small-time art competitions.
In January 2021, the then
Ministry of Culture
, headed by Tristán Bauer, negotiated with the Foundation for the Arts and
took over the cultural center
of more than 10,000 square meters. However, the Kirchnerist management
also failed
- perhaps due to lack of time -
to give the place direction.
Progress was made in installing the
National Museum of Oriental Art
there , which until then operated in a basement of the National Museum of Decorative Art; rooms were used to exhibit part of the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts; and others that were managed by the management of the Palais de Glace, closed since 2017 for restoration work.
In December, the Secretary of Culture,
Leonardo Cifelli
, appointed Alberto Negrin, an internationally renowned architect and set designer with extensive experience in the renovation of cultural spaces, as director. As
Clarín
reported , Negrin paused his work in the
private sphere
, including the comprehensive recovery of the old French Theater on Callao Avenue almost Corrientes, to enter public service.
In January. Borges closed its doors and
work began
to solve
infrastructure problems.
The electrical panels were repaired, the ceiling was completely restored, missing lighting fixtures were installed and gutters and drains on the roofs were cleaned. “It was all under the criteria of
prioritizing the most urgent and austere things,”
stressed part of the team that worked in dialogue with
Clarín Cultura.
During the inauguration last Wednesday, Cifelli emphasized
the possibility of managing with “austerity.”
"I thank all the artists who chose the Borges to share their art and continue strengthening national culture. In this way we demonstrate that,
with seriousness and responsibility,
you can have an impact despite austerity
,
that it is possible to take care of your work and make visible the existing talent in Argentina, give
emerging artists a first opportunity
and make culture an engine of growth and development," he highlighted.
How much was invested in the enhancement is a secret kept under lock and key, but with the latest news about the succulent salary increase that the senators approved, Culture reported that Borges
only
needed one month's salary from a handful of legislators.
D.S.