Spanish Cooperation Cultural Centres
27
Cultural Centre of Spain in Buenos Aires
Most people in Argentina, when they talk about Spain, are talking about their own country, or that of their parents, or of their grandparents. The average Argentine is familiar with the names of leading Spanish writers, actors, screenwriters and artistic creators, and it is not uncommon to overhear people talking about the latest cultural events in Spain. Immediately after its independence Argentina sought out political and cultural role models far removed from those of Spain, but by the late nineteenth century a network of cultural relations and dialogue had begun to appear among intellectuals of both countries, a trend that strengthened in the years following the Spanish civil war. And relations between Spain and Argentina inevitably extended beyond the economy and politics, to become a solid sharing of values, a historic relationship built upon a common culture and a common language. The paths of the two countries have intertwined, forging close ties among artists and intellectuals on both sides of the Atlantic. There has always been a cultural interaction between Spain and Argentina, featuring not only prominent names in contemporary creation, but the aftershocks of many generations of thinkers and artists. This cultural interaction has been reflected in the many books produced in Argentina for the Spanish market and in the cultural magazines on both continents which publish both Spanish and Argentinian authors. In the main Argentinian cities, but most particularly in Buenos Aires, Spanish immigrants have founded publishing houses and have held university chairs. A host of bookshops have been opened. García Lorca used to walk along Avenida de Mayo, in Buenos Aires, and Jorge Luis Borges strolled through the Puerta del Sol in Madrid. Spanish voices would sing alongside bandoneon players. Today, as always, the Spanish and Argentinian cultures are inseparable.
1985 was a year of great changes, both in Spain and in Argentina, where the Government of Raúl Alfonsín (1983-1989) initiated a cooperation policy aimed at consolidating institutions and at reinforcing the cultural and artistic nexus between Spain and Argentina. In 1988, the Institute for Ibero-American Cooperation (ICI), the future Cultural Centre of Spain in Buenos Aires (CCSBA), was created on the foundations of the Spanish Book Shop in Calle Florida in Buenos Aires. The building was completely renovated according to the designs of the architect and plastic artist Clorindo Testa, whose previous work included the National Library of Argentina. Testa’s appointment to the project was no coincidence, as he was prominent among the movement that arose from the Instituto Di Tella in the 1960s, including some of the most influential artistic creators in Buenos Aires. Initially known as the ICI, the Cultural Centre was a hotbed of activity, at the forefront of cultural creation in Argentina. During the period of its consolidation, between 1997 and 2007, leading intellectuals and artists from both Spain and Argentina came to the Calle Florida building, a unique scenario for the change of an era, as from a monochrome world to one of vibrant colour. Reflecting its generous budget allocation, the Centre contained a multi-purpose exhibition hall that housed displays up to 95 metres long, with the potential for use as a lecture hall, a theatre or video display centre, and with the capacity to accommodate 150 people seated and even more standing. It also had a spectacular reference library, also designed by Testa, with more than 12,000 books and magazines covering all fields, but specialised in contemporary literature, philosophy, essays, art and video. The different Spanish writers, intellectuals and managers who led the Centre over the years each left
