The Latin American Art Museum of Buenos Aires (, mostly known for its acronym MALBA) is an
art museum
An art museum or art gallery is a building or space for the display of art, usually from the museum's own Collection (artwork), collection. It might be in public or private ownership, be accessible to all, or have restrictions in place. Although ...
located on
Figueroa Alcorta Avenue, in the
Palermo
Palermo ( ; ; , locally also or ) is a city in southern Italy, the capital (political), capital of both the autonomous area, autonomous region of Sicily and the Metropolitan City of Palermo, the city's surrounding metropolitan province. The ...
section of Buenos Aires.
History
Created by
Argentine
Argentines, Argentinians or Argentineans are people from Argentina. This connection may be residential, legal, historical, or cultural. For most Argentines, several (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their ...
businessman
Eduardo Costantini
Eduardo Francisco Costantini (born September 17, 1946) is an Argentine real estate developer and businessman and the founder and chairman of the Museum of Latin American Art of Buenos Aires (MALBA). As of September 2024, ''Forbes'' estimated his ...
, the museum is operated by the
not-for-profit
A not-for-profit or non-for-profit organization (NFPO) is a Legal Entity, legal entity that does not distribute surplus funds to its members and is formed to fulfill specific objectives.
While not-for-profit organizations and Nonprofit organ ...
''Fundación MALBACostantini'', and was inaugurated on September 21, 2001.
[Clifford Krauss (20 November 2001)]
20th-Century Latin American Art Finally Gets a Home
�''New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
''.
The institution was organized around the Costantini Collection, and has continued to expand its selection of works from modern artists across Latin America. It also maintains a cultural center, which stages art and film exhibitions and develops cultural activities. The museum receives over a million visitors annually, and is sustained by over 1,400 active patrons.
The mission of the MALBA is to collect, preserve, research and promote
Latin American art
Latin American art is the combined artistic expression of Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and South America, as well as Latin Americans living in other regions.
The art has roots in the many different Indigenous peoples of the Americas, i ...
from the onset of the 20th century to the present. This involves educating the public about Latin American artists, and the diversity of cultural and artistic holdings in this region.
MALBA—PUERTOS, a satellite space in the town of Escobar opened in 2024.
Building
The museum design was made through an open call contest; 450 proposals from 45 countries were presented.
Bienal Internacional de Buenos Aires
The selection was made by an international jury of architects, and the first prize was awarded to three young Argentinian architects: Gaston Atelman, Martin Fourcade and Alfredo Tapia. The building project was executed by AFT Architects, an Argentine architectural firm. In 1998, Costantini began construction on a large plot on Avenida Figueroa Alcorta.
Collection
Among the collection's highlights is Frida Kahlo
Magdalena Carmen Frida Kahlo y Calderón (; 6 July 1907 – 13 July 1954) was a Mexican painter known for her many portraits, self-portraits, and works inspired by the nature and artifacts of Mexico. Inspired by Culture of Mexico, the country' ...
's ''Autorretrato con chango y loro'' (1942), which in 1995 cost Costantini $3.2 million and which set the record price for Kahlo at the time. Other notable works in the collection include ''Abaporu'' (1928) by Tarsila do Amaral, bought in 1995 for almost $1.5 million; ''Baile en Tehuantepec'' (1928) by Diego Rivera
Diego Rivera (; December 8, 1886 – November 24, 1957) was a Mexican painter. His large frescoes helped establish the Mexican muralism, mural movement in Mexican art, Mexican and international art.
Between 1922 and 1953, Rivera painted mural ...
, for which Costantini paid $15.7 million at Phillips in 2016;Leonora Carrington
Mary Leonora Carrington (6 April 191725 May 2011) was a British-born, naturalised Mexican Surrealist painter and novelist. She lived most of her adult life in Mexico City and was one of the last surviving participants in the Surrealist movem ...
purchased for $11.3 million in 2024.[Mercedes Ezquiaga (29 November 2024)]
With an $11m Leonora Carrington cat woman sculpture, Eduardo Costantini adds another jewel to his Buenos Aires museum
''The Art Newspaper
''The Art Newspaper'' is a monthly print publication, with daily updates online, founded in 1990 and based in London and New York City. It covers news of the visual arts as they are affected by international politics and economics, developments i ...
''.
Directors
* 2000–2002: Agustín Arteaga
Gallery
File:Primera sala del Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires.JPG,
File:Malba1.jpg,
File:MALBA-interior-TM.jpg,
File:Torres Le Parc vistas desde la sala de comidas del Malba.JPG,
References
External links
*
MALBA article on Fotopedia
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2001 establishments in Argentina
Art museums and galleries established in 2001
Art museums and galleries in Argentina
Buildings and structures completed in 2001
Culture in Buenos Aires
Museums in Buenos Aires