Pablo Atchugarry on His Evolving Art Foundation and MACA in Uruguay

Uruguayan-Italian sculptor Pablo Atchugarry (Montevideo, 1954) discusses the Atchugarry Foundation, a sprawling 40-hectare art park in Uruguay that has evolved since 2007 into a cultural ecosystem. The foundation includes the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo Atchugarry (MACA), designed by architect Carlos Ott and inaugurated in January 2022, which houses a permanent collection and hosts exhibitions of artists like Lucio Fontana, Christo & Jeanne-Claude, and Joaquín Torres García. In 2024, a theater was added. The foundation also runs the Tierra Garzón reforestation project on 159 hectares, planting over 17,000 native trees. Atchugarry emphasizes the integration of art, nature, and biodiversity, with works by Italian artists Paolo Minoli, Bruno Munari, and Mauro Staccioli placed in the landscape. A chapel designed by Leonardo Noguez holds Atchugarry's early Pietà. The foundation supports educational programs and residencies for young artists. Atchugarry considers the entire project his most complete work, blending sculpture, architecture, dance, theater, music, and cinema.