El Di Tella and Argentine Cultural Development in the 1960s

Abstract

The activities of the Arts Centres at the Di Tella Institute-or EDi Tella, as the building in Florida came to be known-spanned the 1960s in Buenos Aires. Their work began as a modest venture in plastic arts, but later developed into the most significant cultural institution of the decade, extending into theatre and music. The cultural moment cannot, of course, be considered in isolation: the Centres had a history specific to themselves, which was at the same time bound to Argentine development in the 1960s as a whole. The declared aim of the Centres was to up-date and modernize the various artistic disciplines. This could be achieved only by strengthening links with Europe and the United States and promoting Buenos Aires as an international centre. The expansive optimism of this endeavour can also be seen in other aspects of scientific and intellectual enquiry following the downfall of Peron in 1955. 'The winds of change' in the 1960s would blow away the remaining vestiges of traditional Argentine society. There would be a new image-a word which begins to be used increasingly in the late 1950s-of positive, efficient, creative, classless values embodied in new politicians such as Frondizi and industrialists such as the Di Tella family. The movement towards scientific and cultural modernization in this period was, to paraphrase Peter Gay, an idea attempting to become a reality.1 This article will trace the vicissitudes of one specific cultural institution, from the early enthusiasm of the late 1950s, to the increasing bankruptcy and pessimism of the late 1960s.