“Labyrinths, Libraries and Other Bifurcations” in Argentinian Lands

On the 30th of August 2025, in the room Eduardo Sívori, the Museum Benito Quinquela Martín — a cultural landmark of the city of Buenos Aires —  will inaugurate original works by Ana Aragão.

On the 30th of August 2025, at 13h in the room Eduardo Sívori, the Museum Benito Quinquela Martín — a cultural landmark of the city of Buenos Aires —  will inaugurate original works by Ana Aragão.

To say that the exhibition “Laberintos, bibliotecas y otras bifurcaciones” is about and for Borges is indisputable, but the truth is that all of Ana Aragão’s work is. 

The argentinian writer is so Important to  the artists that it can be said she professes only one religion: a circular Book. Borges’ work summons in Aragão what believers are supposed to find in the divine—wonder, suspension. “Ficciones” is the center of her hexagonal gallery of books. The rest of her library consists of the Argentine writer’s Complete Works, translated into all languages and in every edition and format; encyclopedias on Tlön, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius; interviews and lectures; guides, short stories, and every map ever drawn of Buenos Aires; all the writings of Whitman and Hume annotated by Borges; his inaugural poems, as well as every book Borges never wrote.

Although the title is quite geographically descriptive — labyrinths, libraries, and forking paths — the exhibition aims to talk about the ever-present condition of the universal and the infinite.  It is thought as a display of 16 original drawings, plus the Babel-with a captivating twist.  Half of these works display phrases that serve almost as mantras in Ana´s life, most of them constantly present in her creative process. The other drawings begin in places that no longer exist and arrive at places that do not yet exist. But there is a connecting line through all drawings, as if it was a self sufficient, all-encompassing act. Faced with the sheets of paper inked with hundreds of lines, may the visitor be able to look at the drawings and see what, de jure et de facto, is not there. To draw is also to incur in tautologies.

"Ana Aragão’s work perfectly illustrates this convergence of paths, from the Garden of Forking Paths to the Library of Babel. This relationship between library and universe is, for Borges, the justification for the intellectual act that dispenses with the need to act physically in the world."

Alberto Manguel

The Museum, opened in 1938, is located in the heart of La Boca, built on land donated by the local artist Benito Quinquela Martín.  The building is much more than a cultural space: it is a symbol of artistic identity, education, and community involvement. With its historically significant collections, vibrant pedagogical contexts, and an authentic space where Quinquela himself lived and worked, it is a must-see for any visit to Buenos Aires.

The exhibiton can be visited until the 12th October 2025.  The Museum is open from Tuesdays to Sundays, from 11h15 to 18h.

This project is supported by República Portuguesa – Cultura, Juventude e Desporto / Direção-Geral das Artes