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Columbus, Juana and the Politics of the Plaza: Battles over Monuments, Memory and Identity in Buenos Aires

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 October 2019

Cheryl Jiménez Frei
Cheryl Jiménez Frei*
Affiliation:
Cheryl Jiménez Frei is an assistant professor at the Department of History, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.
*
*Corresponding author. E-mail: cjimenezfrei@gmail.com.
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Abstract

In 2013, Argentina's then-President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner sparked controversy for her decision to replace a monument of Christopher Columbus in Buenos Aires with one of nineteenth-century mestiza revolutionary Juana Azurduy. This article examines the history and iconography of these monuments, exploring the intersections between public space, art, politics and memory. It argues that these monuments — one representing Argentina's previously maligned Italian immigrant heritage, the other its forgotten indigenous culture — demonstrate how fundamental struggles over national identity have been embedded and contested in the capital's urban landscape, in ways that remain influential. It highlights Argentina's 1910 centennial and 2010 bicentennial as key to these efforts, and examines the power/politics of place in the central plaza where various actors have fought for public commemorative representation.

Spanish abstract

En 2013, la entonces presidenta Cristina Fernández de Kirchner despertó la polémica por su decisión de reemplazar un monumento a Cristóbal Colón en Buenos Aires por uno de la revolucionaria mestiza del siglo XIX Juana Azurduy. Este artículo examina la historia y la iconografía de estos monumentos, explorando la intersección entre el espacio público, el arte, la política y la memoria. Se señala que estas conmemoraciones –que representan la antes maldecida herencia inmigrante italiana y la herencia indígena olvidada– demuestran cómo luchas fundamentales sobre la identidad nacional han estado enraizadas y han sido disputadas en el paisaje urbano capitalino, en formas que siguen siendo influyentes en el presente. Además, el artículo subraya que el centenario de 1910 y el bicentenario de 2010 fueron claves para estos esfuerzos, y examina el poder/política del espacio en la plaza central donde varios actores lucharon por representaciones conmemorativas.

Portuguese abstract

Em 2013, a então presidente da Argentina, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, sucitou controvérsia por sua decisão de substituir um monumento de Cristovão Colombo em Buenos Aires por um de Juana Azurduy, revolucionária de origem indígena do século 19. Este artigo examina a história e a iconografia desses monumentos, explorando as relações entre espaços públicos, política e memória. Ele argumenta que essas homenagens – representando heranças da imigração italiana, outrora difamadas, e indígenas, esquecidas – demonstram como batalhas fundamentais sobre identidade nacional têm sido inseridas e contestadas na paisagem urbana da capital, de maneiras que continuam influentes no presente. O autor destaca o centenário de 1910 e o bicentenário de 2010 como sendo essenciais para esses esforços, e examina o poder e a política do espaço na praça central onde diversos atores lutaram por representação memorial.

Keywords

monumentsArgentinamemoryidentityplacecommemorationsJuana AzurduyColumbusmonumentosArgentinamemoriaidentidadlugarconmemoracionesJuana AzurduyColónmonumentosArgentinamemóriaidentidadeespaçocomemoraçõesJuana AzurduyColombo
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Latin American Studies , Volume 51 , Issue 3 , August 2019 , pp. 607 - 638
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2019 

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