The emblematic gallery Ruth Benzacar celebrates 6 decades by promoting Argentine art and reaffirms its legacy with three generations of women who lead it. The founder, Ruth (1932-2000), her daughter Orly And today it is Blackberryhis granddaughter, who is in charge of this key space in the promotion of Argentine and international contemporary art. It was and remains an icon of experimentation, avant -garde and commitment to new artists. “In these 60 years, not only witnessed Argentine history, but has crossed and challenged it. We survive changes of governments, economic crises and moments of uncertainty, always with the conviction that art is a transformative force. Today more than ever, we continue to bet on the future with the same passion and commitment that brought us here,” says Orly who receives us in the very wide gallery, in the neighborhood of Villa Crespo. Orly will leave her daughter Mora with news with news, which will be done on the first floor, in a cozy and luminous room, which stands out only in the immense loft. Mora is co -director of the gallery since 2009.
News: The world changed and the gallery too. In what sense?
Mora Bacal: The world changed but, above all, the world of Argentine art. When my grandmother founded the gallery there were little colleagues; Those who survived were even less and since I am, I saw the galleries chamber that brings together more than 60 galleries throughout the country. There is greater professionalization that is imposed from the macro system. We start in the 60s without computers, today we have all the technology. The inventories of the beginning were in bibliotics … accompanying those changes was a process; It is not the same as being born today.
News: The 2025 calendar opened in March with exhibitions of Ana Gallardo and Marina de Caro. Why the choice of these artists for opening?
Bacal: In particular, the Gallardo sample resonates with our history because it also travels three generations of artists. Ana’s proposal has some revenge because her mother could not be an artist, like her and her daughter are. A period issue, of course. And I think Ruth, saving the distances, opened all the doors and for having in the art world. He built an internationally respected name … both my mother and I achieved objectives that my grandmother could not meet, as this greater internationalization. We cover other destinations, we arrive at places that for Ruth were dream. How to be in Art Basel, in Switzerland, for example.
News: What proposals does the celebrations program include?
Bacal: It has several instances. We are going to remember the gatherings that Ruth made when she started, there will be a celebration party in Arteba and we ended the year with a sample that will tour the 60 years of the gallery with an investigation by Sofía Dourrón – which was the curator of the last Biennial of Venice – and Belén Coluccio.
News: Let’s go to the beginning, when Ruth Benzacar had a vision, to build a contemporary art market in Argentina. How was the audiovisual projection, in the MoMA in New York, 1966?
Bacal: It was the first action that grandmother did abroad, convinced that art had to be internationalized. With a certain degree of unconsciousness, typical of the dreamers and the pioneers who open their way … “To be a memory, before you have to be a relaxed” as Federico Peralta Ramos said. And it was typical of the time, of course. They were all young. Ruth put together a Kodak carousel with music from the young promise, ostor Piazzolla … she had smell, sensitivity and ambition. And he didn’t stop. He went to New York without being anyone and did not stop until he projects it at MoMA. It was an achievement. That spirit with some stubbornness and a lot of conviction is what is needed to start something that does not exist.
News: They had four venues. And it all started in the family pH of Valle Street, in Caballito …
Bacal: It was between 1965 and 1978; Then they moved to Talcahuano and Arenales, until 1983. In that year they went to Florida Street and in 2015 we opened here, in Ramírez de Velasco and Darwin, with a sample of Liliana Porter.
News: Did they participate in many international fairs?
Bacal: The fairs are instances of selection because you have to go through a committee … we were in many. Art Basel would highlight in Miami – very prestigious, based in Basel – where we participate continuously. In many American fairs, in Bogotá, in Lima, San Pablo …
News: They also connected and connect with our provinces …
Bacal: We have a lot of artists who come from the interior. Many live outside, others in Buenos Aires. All our artists are Argentines, but many do not live here.
News: What notoriety did the gallery have Antonio Berni?
Bacal: It was at the beginning, in the 90s. Ruth worked a lot his work, giving him a recognition of his value. Representing artists – today we have about 30 – is a very large commitment from artists with their production and gallery with their representation. All galleries working live with artists or heirs – if they died – agree on a commission for the sale of the work. Representing an artist implies accompanying him from the beginning of his career. We currently represent three artists with less than 26 years.
News: How do they discover and choose them?
Bacal: Some are recommended by others; Artists are a great source of connection. Sometimes they have attendees, who are younger artists and those artists have as a very clear temperature of what happens in the scene. We have artists involved in federal management, so they know young artists and bring us closer. When Ruth died, Orly found a great challenge that was to stay contemporary. Ruth and Orly worked together 10 years, from 1990 until Ruth died. Orly created a contest called Curriculum Zero for UR 30 artists, who have not had any individual sample or won any prize. We received the applications, we had an interdisciplinary jury and a sample was made with the selected ones. One was rewarded by giving rise, the following year, for his first exhibition in Ruth Benzacar. It was between 2002 and 2013 and it was a seedbed, with great energy …
News: The gallery is part of meridian …
Bacal: Meridiano is the chamber of contemporary art galleries. We start being eight galleries that generate an export consortium. Orly was the president of the first two efforts. Meridian is key to accompanying the demands of our sector. We modify laws such as the circulation of works that was a dream of Ruth.
News: He lived 4 years in Paris and obtained a degree in Arts … he carries art in his DNA.
Bacal: Mmm … My dad is chemical and my mother is a biologist. I studied medicine for a short time. There is something of the exact sciences that runs me too, because there is some pragmatism and rationality, which come from my most scientific and value genetics. I went to Paris, chasing a love – which ended up being the father of my children – and I lived those years there, where I attended that quite general degree, but it helped me to re -focus on other aspects of my naturalized life, as it was and is my link with art. And I was lucky to live experiences with Mom, who was traveling to a fair in London, for example, and accompanied her. I am trilingual, then I gave him a hand. It was an excuse to be together. On one occasion, Mom went to Paris, had a dinner with some collectors and took me. With a couple of a Honduran and a Frenchman. The Honduran – Juan Carlos Bendana Pinel – was about to open his art gallery and I, who had Parisian student work, sent him an mail and offered to work with him. And I had the privilege of witnessing and being at the birth of a gallery. It was incredible to think that creation. Upon returning, I felt a young gallery owner with an old gallery. But both experiences were beautiful.
News: Did he imagine that he was going to end here?
Bacal: No. I think something similar happened to my old woman. There was no family pressure and great generosity. My mother received me with open arms and remembers that her mother did the same with her.
News: Do you have children?
Bacal: Elisa 12 and Gaspar 7. I am separated but the dad of the boys is essential; Without him I could not travel everything I travel, or work so much, it is a support.
News: How do you see Argentine plastic art today?
Bacal: Today art is federal. In a few weeks we go to San Juan and Mendoza in an Arteba project that makes a forum with international artists and curators. He is thinking a lot with federal look. Argentina has a luxury cultural production, with a very high level. Crisis moments always generate some effervescence that make things very interesting. There is something of our survivors’ condition that gives us plasticity. The production of our artists reflects it; They channel creative ideas with great quality. Stella Ticera (24), Francisca Rey (24) and Ulises Mazzucca (26) are our latest additions and express this concept.
News: What do you especially remember from your grandmother Ruth?
Bacal: I lived her and I remember her as a grandmother. It was the most Canchera grandmother of the universe. His house was always open, he let me make mixed pijamadas, he prepared the breakfasts … I accompanied her a lot to fairs, I saw her in action … I took a fucking at night in Madrid! My grandmother was happy with her work. And me too.
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