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Cultural Konex Center
KonexIf it's a Monday and it happens to be 8 o'clock chances are you will find me at the Ciudad Cultural Konex. The center is located in the barrio of Palermo and was opened in 1920 and was used as a factory oil deposit until 1992. Years later it was bought in order to create what it is now. El Estudio Clorindo Testa y Asociados was commissioned to transform the old oil into a cultural space keeping intact the original architectural details of its time. It retains its relationship with the industrial resignification since it was completely designed, including the furniture with PVC pipes. The design belongs to the architects Luciana Levinton, Silvana Ovsejevich and Ma Eugenia Ruani. They have a bunch of shows and is a great medium for creativity. They just opened up a store at the center where you can find pieces from independent Argentine designers which include jewelry, dolls and designs related to the topic of the events taking place during that specific week. Some of the designers who are currently out include: Vacavaliente, Sopa de Principe, A dosveinte, Gabriela Horvat, Tramando, Doma, Estebecorena Brothers, If you seen me not agree Tour Industry, Brion, lix Klet-Churba, Air and Monoblock. The design we see now belongs to the architects Luciana Levinton, Silvana Ovsejevich and Ma Eugenia Ruani.
The reason why I love going there on Mondays is because of a fabulous event that happens weekly called "La Bomba del Tiempo." La Bomba consists of a collective of professional percussionists who get together every week to put on a show. The director, Santiago Vázquez, created signals with which the group communicates with. It's hilarious watching their faces. The shows are improvised and really, it's fantastic and beautiful to watch. You can really feel the music throughout your body, and everyone is just dancing, drinking and having a blast. They normally invite a guest to come and play with them during the second half of their show. Guests range from fellow percussionists, punk rock singers, musicians playing their own unique instruments and everything in between. The show lasts for about 2 hours and afterwards everyone spills out into the streets looking to buy food, afterparties and a taxi.
Here's some videos:
Factory
It's really cool how most of the building was kept. That blue light on the second floor aroused my curiousity too; why there? I too was amazed how many tourists showed up to the monday show when I went but it was all good. Everyone drinking enormous beers and listening to th music. I feel that the most messed-up people there were the argentines--those dudes who circle around girls and then forget their original motive and just wander around with their friends. It was weird how empty the actual building was, and, adversely really cool how they built that staircase that seems to stand on its own, not really going anywhere, like the stairs are more of an inclined stage. Very cool picture by the way.
this place IS amazing
I completely agree with you...this place is amazing, and not just on Monday nights. At first I went there in the beginning of the semester on a Monday for the La Bomba show, which I though was incredible, but to be honest I was sort of put off by the fact that the never-ending line was filled with tourists, and that despite its underground vibe, it seemed like a tourist-trap well advertised online and in many magazines. However, I couldn’t resist going back a second time to see the show since it’s genuinely such a great time--and a good exercise!
BUT recently I went back not on a Monday night, I believe it was a weekend, and the place was completely different. A totally different crowd—all hipster-types, all locals—way less crowded. This time I was there to see the band, Onda Vaga (Patricio’s brother) play. As it turned out the opening act was Pedro and Patricio! AMAZING! But all’s to say is that Konex gets two thumbs up from me.
NO WAY
What did Pedro and Patricio do? It was just them? So disappointed I missed it. In Paraguay Pato treated us to some renditions of N'Sync and The Backstreet Boys and I knew I had to hear more.