Today was a beautiful day. The weather was great, with scattered clouds, and a refreshing breeze throughout the day. We started off today by busing to Palermo, and getting an easy going tour of Palermo Hollywood. Here, we walked around look at street art. Many of the pieces were murals that covered entire walls, and dressed buildings in vibrant colors. The area had a very calm vibe and the morning stroll was well deserved after a week of lectures.

After visiting Palermo Hollywood, we visited Palermo Soho, and were once again entranced by the vibrant colors of the buildings and walkways. In Palermo Soho, many of my group mates walked around the open air market, and shopped for little trinkets to bring back to their family members. However, with the company of two friends, we sat at a very aesthetically pleasing brunch spot. Here, we ate warm eggs and toast, and rinsed it down with a freshly squeezed glass of orange juice. While at the little brunch spot, the owners dog sat beside our table and pawed at us to give her food. It was truly a relaxing time before we headed off to the Buenos Aires Modern Art Museum.

At the museum, I was very captivated by this one painting (I’ve inserted the photo of it). It reminded me of a painting style my dad had once showed me in one of the art books he has collected over the years. When coming across it, I had a very strange feeling like I had seen the picture before, but I knew it was just the style of painting. I’ve concluded that the paintings in the art book must have had a similar style because they were produced by latin american painters, just as the one at the museum. Because of nostalgia, I had to sit down and just stare. As I looked at the painting, I began to think more deeply about it.

In the painting there are many men women and children all huddle together. However, it was easy to tell that all of them were from the lower class, and had something in common. There seemed to be a widespread of confusion. Many of the people in the painting are looking in different directions or other people, and at first I could not reason why they were painted like this. The I saw in the background a sign that said “Pan y Trabajo,” (Bread and Job). So, from this I knew that the people depicted in the painting were from the lower class. All these people were disgruntled, out of jobs, and going hungry. It made sense why all these people would be looking different directions, when people are pushed down and depressed, they look for something or someone to blame.

In the picture I can only imagine that the men looking to the sky, are asking god, what is going on. I see now that the confusion on the babies face is the natural look it would have as its mother tries to push through the crowd. Some of the men looking at other people must be blaming others for the situation they are in, or may be realizing for the first time that they are not alone. Before I got up, I looked into the eyes of many of the people in the painting and, I saw struggle. I see now that Argentina, like many countries, has poor people in lower classes, and they are together in the first for survival and a better life. All of them looking for answers from god or from others.