Myths and Symbols of Indian Art exposed in the National
House of the Bicentennial, 2015.
Classical dance of India in Villa General Belgrano
(Córdoba), 2018.
Dancer Silvia Rissi
STRENGTHENING BILATERAL
RELATIONS IN CULTURE
By Verónica Flores y Maya Alvisa Barroso*
D
ube (1999) argues that culture has to be understood
tango in India, that it has aroused interest there for some time
as the symbolic, structured attitudes, norms
now but its current growth in classes, social events and a large
and practices through which social relations are
number of attendees in Bangalore and Mumbai happened
perceived, articulated and experienced. Associated with this,
in the last 5 years, partly because tango instructors visit the
identity is considered a set of internalized cultural repertoires
country regularly or live partially there.
by which social actors symbolically mark their borders
Considering Indian music in Argentina (sitar, table, etc.),
(Giménez, 2000).
we can mention: Roberto Kúcser and his group Giraff es in
For its part, Liland (1993) notes that: a) culture can be
India, Rakshikananda Das, Ariel Chab, Sergio Bulgakov, Leo
considered as the foundation of the foreign policy of a nation-
Fernández, Mira Tevsic and Carolina Chrem (singing), etc.
state, b) it can be considered as part of foreign policy (cultural
For its part, the Argentine singer Patricia Sosa participated
diplomacy) and c) it can be considered as a resource in itself,
in 2015 of the World Culture Festival The Art of Living in
for foreign policy.
India, along with other Argentine artists such as Ignacio
There are innumerable examples of cultural manifestations
Escribano from Indra Mantras (the fi rst pop mantras project
that connect both countries in addition to the cultural activities
of South America that combines Indian and Latin American
that both embassies develop (Argentina and India). As an
sounds (India Mantras, n.d.), etc. (Télam, 2015).
example, it can be mentioned in the Indian dance scene in
In terms of performances and theater, Gustavo Canzobre,
Argentina, the task of Mirta Barbié, renowned Argentine
with his “Gitanjali”, based on texts by Rabindranath Tagore;
classical dancer who was trained in India in its classical
“A Sun, a Poet”, based on the lyrics of the Indian poet Kabir,
dances and established a group of outstanding disciples: Silvia
which add to his work at “Niketan India al día”, a radio
Rissi -with very active work at DurgaMa School-, Leonora
program sponsored by the Embassy of India in Argentina and
Bonetto, Anandini Dasi, etc. Anita Nieva Rosas, from Salta,
many other activities that he develops over his work at the
spreads the Bhangra dance.
Hastinapura Foundation. It can also
The beauty of the classical dance
be mentioned Geraldine Seff and her
of India has also approached the
work with Kathakali theater.
interior of the country, through
In recent years, the deep interest
exhibitions such as those held this year
of the Argentine public for India and
in Villa General Belgrano, Córdoba,
its material and immaterial culture has
on the celebration of the National
also been expressed in art exhibitions.
Independence of India. Other cultural
The most relevant for the value and
programs and visits of Indian dance
diversity of the pieces exhibited was
companies have been carried out in
organized in 2015 by the Ministry of
several cities, including San Salvador
Culture of Argentina in the National
de Jujuy, Almirante Brown, Tandil,
House of the Bicentennial. With the
Paraná and Río Cuarto.
title “Myths and symbols of Indian
Vaidya (2015) notes on the other
art”, this exhibition brought together
Gustavo Canzobre. Performance “ A Sun, a Poet”.
hand, addressing the development of
more than seventy delicate pieces that
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