“Art therapy is of assistance mainly as a distraction from an individual’s problems. The problems do not go away purely from painting but give the brain a respite and a chance to fill the eyes with colour and form.”

– Sarah Cannell, artist

Buenos Aires – I was sitting around on Thursday afternoon, my lunch plans having been cancelled, and trying to decide what to do, when an e-mail popped into my inbox announcing the opening that day of an art exhibition called Moebius, offered up by a collective known as Recorrido 33 – a group dedicated, it seems to using art as an adjunct to cancer treatment. It was just the sort of thing to pique my interest, especially with no plans, and so I popped off to their website, which gave no more information than the announcement, but a link to the exhibition center – which asserted that the show was running from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m., Thursday through Sunday. It gave strange directions to this center, the Centro Cultural Adán Buenosayres, with an address of Asamblea 1200 or Eva Perón 1400, two avenues that are several blocks away from each other, and an assertion that it was to be found “under the expressway”….

Picturing an outdoor exhibit of some sort, sheltered vaguely from the elements in what my map showed as Parque Chacabuco, I dutifuly headed out on the 101 bus to the center of Coreatown and then walked the dozen or so blocks to the noted location. I had simply not pictured that way in the center of the park and running most of the length of it, and indeed, under the expressway, had been built a series of buildings, making use of what otherwise might be wasted space in a park, or, more likely, the area where everyone avoids because it is dangerous. Instead, there is a two story gymnasium, a cafe and bar, some unidentified buildings that look like they may house government offices of some sort, and, the cultural center.

Now, unfortunately it turned out that the exhibit, despite the listed hours, was not only not open, but not even… exhibited yet. The staff of the center very kindly allowed me into the room to wander, though let me know that they thought the staff of Recorrido 33 would be back later in the afternoon to finish putting up the exhibit, along with more art that wasn’t in the room. Given the sparseness of what was there, one can hope. On the other hand, it was strangely fascinating work – much of it the use of medical objects, mostly in photos, seen in a different light than they would normally be seen. If you find yourself with time on your hands and an interest, the staff assured me that the rest of the weekend it would be open the stated hours, and hey, you can go grab lunch in Coreatown before or after.