ArteBA 2008

Second year of the Program American Express / + art for the fine arts

The American Express Foundation donate US$ 20,000 to the Association of Friends of the National Museum of Fine Arts, to buy works of art at arteBA‘08 

Through its Program “+ art for the fine arts”, the American Express Foundation onated the work  Marginality & Displacements, 3 (2002), by César Paternosto. The work thus became part of the National Museum of Fine Arts collections.



José María Zas, President of American Express, Nelly Arrieta de Blaquier, President of the Association of Friends of MNBA, Guillermo Alonso, Director of MNBA
and Facundo Gómez Minujín, President of arteBA, pose with the work by artist Paternosto

In the framework of its “Program American Express / + art for the fine arts”, the American Express Foundation donated, for the second consecutive year, US$ 20,000 to the Association of Friends of the National Museum of Fine Arts (AAMNBA), for the acquisition of works for the National Museum of Fine Arts (MNBA).

The choice of the work was entrusted to a Selection Committee made up of Dr. Guillermo Alonso, Director of MNBA; Mrs. Adriana Rosenberg, Director of the Proa Foundation and Mr. Sergio Baur, Minister of the General Department of Cultural Affairs of Argentina’s Foreign Affairs Ministry -both members of MNBA’s Board-, who paid arteBA a special visit (no public admitted) on May 27.

The Committee chose Marginality & Displacements, 3 (2002), by César Paternosto. The work remained on show during the fair at the stand that American Express shares with AAMNBA.

“Once again, American Express confirms its firm commitment with the community and with the promotion of Argentine art. Once more, we are proud of the support we contribute to the National Museum of Fine Arts, by enhancing the heritage of one of the most important collections in Latin America”, observed José María Zas, President & CEO of American Express Argentina and Latin America.

Dr. Guillermo Alonso, the Director of MNBA, pointed out: “The National Museum of Fine Arts wants to express its gratitude to American Express for its constant support through its Foundation, enabling the Museum to achieve sustained growth of its heritage through time with the acquisition of works of art which enhance our collection and the cultural heritage of Argentina, in the framework of the most important exhibition of contemporary art in Latin America,  arteBA 08".

Nelly Arrieta de Blaquier, President of the Association of Friends of the National Museum of Fine Arts especially emphasized ”the significant support given by American Express through its Foundation, proof of its commitment to Argentina’s cultural heritage, and warmly thanks them for their important contribution to our museum. We hope many companies will follow their example, as we’ve been saying for many years ´for the love of art´”

At arteBA 07, the American Express Foundation donated to AAMNBA the works La Familia Numerosa (Large Family), 2007, by Horacio Zabala, and Naturaleza y niño (Nature and Child), 1953, by Juan Del Prete. Both works are now part of the Museum’s collection.

The” Program American Express / + art for the fine arts”  was created in 2007 with the objective to fulfill the commitment of both the American Express Foundation and the Association of Friends of the National Museum of Fine Arts (AAMNBA) to support Argentina’s cultural heritage.


Selection Committee

Guillermo Alonso
He is Director General of the National Museum of Fine Arts since late 2007.
He has a Law degree from the University of Buenos Aires . During his professional career he worked for important lawyer firms, such as O’Farrell, Chiesa-Alonso and Molteno.
He also held key positions in corporations: he was Director of C.O.C.Y.F (Business and Financial Company of the Fortabat Group) from 1995 to 2005, and later he was Director at Coswell Advisors.
From 1993 to 2003 he was Consultant to the Board and Chairman of the National Fund for the Arts. Between 2006 and 2007, he was invited by Architect Silvia Fajre, who was then Minister of Culture of the Government of the City of Buenos Aires , to join the Advisory Council of the Metropolitan Fund for the Arts and Sciences.

Adriana Rosenberg
Since 1996, Mrs. Rosenberg is Director of Proa Foundation, a center for contemporary art located in the La Boca district, which for over ten years has held temporary shows of domestic and foreign artists and organized educational exchange programs with prestigious cultural institutions.
She studied and worked under Jorge Romero Brest, Director of Instituto Di Tella, with whom she co-founded Rosenberg-Rita Publishers, specialized in contemporary art critique books.
Currently, Rosenberg is also a member of MNABA’s Commission, arteBA’s Board of Directors and the Board of Trustees of the Metropolitan Fund for Culture of the City of Buenos Aires . During her career, she has organized numerous exhibitions, workshops and conferences.

Sergio Baur
He is a Minister of the General Department of Cultural Affairs of Argentina ’s Foreign Affairs and since 1983 he is part of Argentina ’s Foreign Service, where he has held several positions, both in our country and abroad.
He has been a curator, organizer and coordinator of various exhibitions; among others, let us mention María Helguera. Pasaje de ida y vuelta (Maria Helguera, Both Ways Ticket), MNBA, 2007; Río de imagines ( River of Images ), PROA Foundation, 2006, and La condesa sangrienta. Alejandra Pizarnik, Recoleta Cultural Center, 2005. An educator and researcher, he is the author of several papers on art and history published in local and international journals.
Among other acknowledgements, he was decorated in 2000 with the Order of Civil Merit, awarded by Spain when he paid a State visit to that country, and the Order of Queen Elizabeth the Catholic in the Commander degree when he ended his period as Culture Counselor at the Embassy of Argentina to Spain (1996 to 2004).


At ArteBA 2007 >>