Art in the Park at MACA

La Pieta, Pablo Atchugarry, 1983, Carrara marble

Just as the world was coming out of the pandemic, the Museum of Contemporary Art Atchugarry (MACA) was inaugurated in January 2022 to great fanfare in the rustic town of Manantiales in Uruguay. Here in the wide open spaces are a museum, the studio of Atchugarry, a permanent gallery for his works, an amphitheater, a chapel, an art store, and seventy five pieces of sculpture scattered throughout the well-groomed grounds. Both local and international artists are represented in the Park and in the Museum. A day at the park is exactly what I needed after a big lunch at the seaside town of Jose Ignacio.

Atchugarry was born in Montevideo and was encouraged by his parents to dabble in the arts at an early age. He had his first art exhibition at eleven years of age. As he matured and after trips abroad, he began to explore the use of various medium for his works including marble which he found in Italy and which is the material he uses the most for his sculptural pieces today. Atchugarry sees MACA as his cultural legacy to Uruguay. He divides his time between Lecco, Italy and Manantiales.

In this post, I’ll be showing a few of the sculptures in the park. In Part II, I’ll post images from the museum.

Pieta, detail

Chapel of the Pieta (Capilla de la Piedad)

Viola D’Amore, Aldo Modino, 1985, bronze

Tabernaculo, Octavio Podesta, 2007, iron polychrome

Fishing Rod, Ignacio Diaz de Rabago, 2008, stainless steel

Untitled, Mario Staccioli, 2008

Artist: Pablo Atchugarry, marble

DSFPA, Diego Santurio, 2008, steel

Provenance unknown

Golden Bear, Cracking Art Collective, fiberglass and mosaics

Sure, Victor Valera, 1988

Libellule (Dragonfly), Arman Fernandez, 1996, bronze

Cavallo Morente, Giorgio Celiberti, 1983, bronze

Untitled, Bruno Munari, 1996, cut steel

If you would like to know more about the coastal towns of Uruguay, please check my post here: https://www.travelswithcharie.com/2024/04/the-coastal-towns-of-uruguay.html

How to get there from Punta del Este

Ruta 104, km 4.5, Manantiales, Maldonado, Uruguay

If you are in Punta del Este, you can catch a bus from the Maldonado Main bus station to Manantiales. It takes about 38 minutes to get there. Check rome2rio.com for details and options. There is no entrance fee to the park. Check the museum website for more information. https://macamuseo.org/visitas

Where to stay in Punta del Este

2122 Hotel Art Design

Pedragosa Sierra and San Ciro

https://www.hotel2122.com/2122/es/

This was a good choice. I liked the homey feel of the room which has a kitchenette and a sofa, convenient if you expect guests. It has its own restaurant/bar on the premises where breakfast is served. My room reservation included free breakfast. It is located close to a supermarket and restaurants. It is within walking distance to the beach.

Where to eat in San Ignacio

Parador La Huella, Playa Brava, Faro Jose Ignacio

Reservations required at this popular restaurant. https://paradorlahuella.com/

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Images by TravelswithCharie

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