Street Art & Graffiti in Montevideo

Uruguay is definitely a land of artists. For its small size it produces a large number of writers, poets, painters, musicians and more. There are regular cultural activities - theatres to visit, concerts to attend and shows to be seen...but best of all there's art in the streets.

I've already spoken about the candombe culture here - it's probably one of my favourite aspects of Uruguayan society - but more and more I've been seeing some fantastic street art dotted throughout the city.

Recently I've discovered some really fantastic murals and graffiti along the small streets throughout Pocitos, Palermo and Barrio Sur. This one below is on the corner of San Salvador and Requena and there's plenty more to be found at the stairs at the end of Requena.

This one is especially impressive, its on a building site opposite The Hermitage Hotel on Juan Benito Blanco in Pocitos so it will no doubt the covered up during construction of whatever is built there in the future.


But all throughout the different barrios there are many gems to be found, its just about appreciating what this little city has to offer.

There's been a number of outdoor photo exhibits popping up all over the city too. There was a great display of paintings from The Louvre Gallery along the Rambla in Pocitos during the summer, and now there is a long running (maybe even permanent!) photo exhibit in Parque Rodo (opposite the casino). This exhibit has already been renewed many times in the past few months covering subjects such as Unique World Cultures and The Reconstruction of Beirut.

So make sure to get out there and see what Montevideo has to offer!

Fruits and Vegetables of Uruguay

I guess it is to be expected that when you move to a new country they will have a different selection of fresh produce available. It may not be expected however that you are faced with fruits or vegetables you have neither seen, or even heard of before!

Farmer's Markets are a big part of daily life here in Montevideo and they sell a collection of little fruits and vegetables that are totally new to me. Here are 2 fine examples:

Has anyone ever heard of "Persimmons" before? I certainly hadn't. They look like apple-sized pumkins, they have the skin texture of a tomato but the flesh texture of a nectarine. They have a nice but very unusual taste (quite bland, almost sweet) and seem to only be available here in the Autumn season.


Another weird one is "Zapallitos". They look kind of like dark green pin cushions and they taste a bit like zucchini/courgette. These are mostly used for making pies and quiches as they can be pretty flavourless otherwise.



And then there's the larger cousin of these guys - the regular "Zapallo". This one might look a bit more familiar to Americans as they are used to different types of squash but this one was new for me! It looks like a green knobbly under ripe pumkin and it tastes just sweet potato - yum. They sell it in chunks (or whole if you plan on feeding a nation!) at all the farmers markets.


To read how someone made a massive batch of soup for just $1 thanks to feria vegetables click here!

Things to see and do in Montevideo

Don't get me wrong, I love Uruguay and love Montevideo (otherwise why would I be living here?!) but this little city can feel a bit limiting sometimes. As such I have decided that from now on I will be making a more conscious effort to unearth the hidden gems and see what Montevideo really has to offer. I intend to fill my next few months with culture, art, music, history, events, food, and whatever other activities I can get my hands on...so stay tuned!

So far I've happened upon a few locations that have quickly become my favourites so we'll start with those.

CANDOMBE: This is a sure fire way to lift the spirit! Candombe is the traditional drumming music of Uruguay and during the weekend you can find local drum groups called comparsas practicing throughout the Barrio Sur and Palermo districts.

These groups march the streets playing infectious rhythms which literally draw people out of their apartments on to their balconies, rooves and door ways. Women (and some men) join the dancers which lead the way as they move through the streets and whole families just join the crowd - it creates a wonderful sense of community .

The pictures above were taken in Barrio Sur district, somewhere along Carlos Gardel Street I think. However now I'm living in Parque Rodo and one of the greatest comparsas (the all female one, I think they're called La Milasa?) practice right outside my house at the bottom of Juan Manuel Blanes - I could watch them for hours!

SUBTE: This little contemporary gallery always has something unique and original to offer the passerby. I've seen a powerful photo exhibit documenting the unexplained disappearances during the dictatorships and a fun modern and interpretive art collection so there's sure to be a good range.

It's located underground at Plaza Fabini along 18 de Julio and you can check out what they have planned at their blog (its in Spanish but very easy to navigate). They're open Tuesdays through Sundays from 3.30pm until 9pm.

I think next on my list will be Montevideo Zoo, The Municipal Photography Centre and The Visual Arts Museum (which I passed the other day and it looks really cool so that one might come first!)