Literature

1. The Indy Eye: Villa Ocampo, UNESCO
Cultural Observatory
“Culture and science can be instruments that enable man, and put him on the
path to solutions that have not been found since the world began.” – Victoria
Ocampo. *All photos by Nithil Dennis*

2. Villa Ocampo
The wealthy northern suburb of San Isidro is well known as a getaway to
escape the hustle and bustle of the city for a few hours; a place to soak up
leafy tranquility and eye some of the city’s largest, most expensive
mansions.
Walking these lanes gives you a feeling that you have been transported a
century back. Tree lined avenues, huge green carpets of creepers on the outer
walls of luxury estates hark back to the elite who inhabited this area in
early 20th Century.
Among them was Victoria Ocampo, an Argentine intellectual and writer who
spent most of her life in Villa Ocampo, a stunning Victorian-age mansion
close to the river that is now a cultural observatory run by UNESCO.

3. Villa Ocampo.
Ocampo is one of Argentina’s most important cultural figures: most known for
setting up the literary magazine and publishing house ‘Sur’ in the 1930s – an
editorial that would feature some of Latin America’s greatest 20th century
writers – she was also a pioneer in the fight for women’s rights and
outspoken against Antisemitism, later becoming the only Argentine woman to be
invited to the Nuremberg Trials.
Ocampo was also close friends with the first director of UNESCO, Julian
Huxley, and in 1973 donated her mansion to the organisation so that it may
remain a space for culture, ideas, tolerance, and peace. Visitors can now
tour the place she called home for over 30 years, following in the footsteps
of the many prestigious literary and political figures that were once her
guests. Alongside the stunning mansion and landscape gardens, UNESCO also
runs cultural exhibitions at Villa Ocampo, unsurprisingly often with a focus
on Argentine literature.

4. A gazebo in the spacious gardens.
The Mansion
Villa Ocampo was originally a holiday home for the Ocampo family, but in the
1940s, Victoria Ocampo turned it into her permanent residence. The mansion
was built by her father, Manual Ocampo, an engineer. She received there an
incredible array of intellectuals and artists from all over the world: Igor
Stravinsky, José Ortega y Gasset, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Graham Greene,
Indira Gandhi, and Rabindranath Tagore to cite just a few of them.

5. Photos of Victoria Ocampo with Indira Gandhi, who visited her in Argentina.
The house itself is spectacular, with rooms kept intact from the era in which
they enjoyed their greatest glory. The spacious grounds are filled with trees
and lawns that once sloped down almost right to the edge of the Río de la
Plata (which has since receded).

6. The peaceful gardens of Villa Ocampo.
Inside, areas like the dining room reflect Ocampo’s relatively modern tastes
for the era, with white paint, Bow House lamps and a simple, minimalist
decor. The main hall where most of Ocampo’s illustrious friends were
entertained is supported by huge pillars and on the walls hang the paintings
of her grandparents.

7. Dining hall

8. The main hall.
The house contains numerous historical artifacts with interesting personal
anecdotes. A rug with a design inspired by one of Picasso’s painting hangs on
one side of the stairway; one of her friends once made a small hole in the
rug by stubbing his cigarette and, furious, Ocampo hung it on the wall to
avoid future damage.
A rug inspired by a Picasso painting.
A separate room is dedicated to music and it houses an old beautifully
polished and well-maintained shining Steinway & Co piano, with a photograph
of Igor Stravinsky, one of her friends and favourite composers, placed on
top. Another room is dedicated to the collection of Sur magazine.

9. The music room with grand piano.

10. Her desk, with a part of her collection of books, also reflects her interest
in art and design; simple lines, white furniture, and straight corners are
evident in every room. Her bedroom also exudes simplicity and elegance. It is
here she spent her last days, before dying in 1979, aged 88.
Like the rest of the mansion, Victoria Ocampo’s bedroom is preserved as she
had it.

11. Victoria Ocampo’s desk, with copies of her famous literary magazine: Sur.
Finally, Ocampo’s library remains one of the most important libraries of
Latin America, with rare collections of signed books and first editions.

12. Entrance to the library.
After a short break over the festive holidays, Villa Ocampo will re-open on
4th January, with the temporary exhibit ‘Heritage and Memory – Resplendent
Silence: A Commemoration in Argentina’ – a reflection on history and human
rights in Argentina and Japan – running until 29th January.

13. Victoria Ocampo’s signature glasses.

14. The decor of the mansion is mostly simple and elegant.
Villa Ocampo, Elortondo 1837, Beccar, San Isidro (Open Wednesday through
Sunday, 12:30pm to 7pm). The site will re-open on 4th January, 2017. More
information can be found on the website and official Facebook page.