Page 155 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Argentina

THE P A MP AS  153

P Centro Cultural Villa
Victoria
Matheu 1851. Tel (0223) 492-0569.
Open 2–8pm Wed–Mon.
& 7 - =
A fine writer, intellectual, and
critic, Victoria Ocampo influ-
enced most of Argentina’s
modern literary greats. She was
known as an excellent hostess
and the soirées she organized
at her villa were famous. She is
mentioned in Graham Greene’s
dedication to his well-known
novel The Honorary Consul. Built
The exterior of Museo Municipal de Arte by her father as a present to her
Juan Carlos Castagnino aunt, the beautiful house was
inherited by Ocampo in the Fishing trawlers at the harbor in Banquina
E Museo Municipal de Arte 1930s. The writer lived here inter- de Pescadores
Juan Carlos Castagnino mittently until her death in 1979.
Colón 1189. Tel (0223) 486-1636. She bequeathed the building P Banquina de Pescadores
Open 2–8pm Mon, Wed–Fri; 3–8pm to UNESCO in 1973, although South of city center, past Playa
Sat & Sun. & free Wed. 8 it reverted to muni cipal control Grande.
- = in 1981 when it came to be This working fisherman’s wharf
Built in 1909, this known as the Centro teems with activity, brightly
museum is housed in Cultural Villa Victoria. painted fishing boats, and the
a striking mock-Anglo- Surrounded by a unmistakable smell of fish. The
Norman-style mansion sprawling park, the best time to go to Banquina
of turrets and timbers. center is well main- de Pescadores is when the
Its collection of 450 tained. The building fishermen return at dusk,
paintings is domi nated is of architectural bringing with them packed
by the works of local interest, constructed crates of bass, squid, and many
artist Juan Carlos from Norwegian other seafood delicacies. The
Castagnino (1908–72). Castagnino’s self-portrait wood specially dock also has a colony of male
Depicting his home- shipped to Buenos sea lions, who have made the
town in a style that Aires in 1911. The port their home and clamor for
was influenced by European wood was then trans ported by scraps from the fishermen. Their
expressionism, while being train to Mar del Plata. The big numbers vary according to the
essentially figurative, Castagnino house has 11 bed rooms, but season and, as they are not shy
also pro duced etchings based only one of the rooms con tains of humans, visitors can get near
on Goya’s celebrated “Horrors of the original antique furnish ings. enough to observe them at
War” series. He achieved great The center now holds a large close quar ters. The port is also
fame with his detailed illus- number of diverse exhibi tions, known for its excellent seafood
trations for a 1962 edition of events, and conferen ces restaurants, many of which are
Martín Fierro. The building is throughout the year. dotted around the wharf.
noted for its elegant Art
Nouveau interior, designed by
the famous Belgian deco rator
Gustavo Serrurier-Bovy. It is
a work of art in its own right,
packed with playful and
extravagant details such as
carvings of the five flying ducks
over the fireplace. Much of
Bovy’s work was destroyed
during World War II and this
museum’s collection is one of
the few remaining examples of
his creations. The furni ture in the
building is consi dered some of
the finest in the world. Tempo-
rary exhibitions, which focus
both on local and national artists,
are held here all year round. The famous literary retreat Centro Cultural Villa Victoria, Mar del Plata

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