Museum of Solidarity: A Weapon Against Imperialism (1971-73)
An essay in Afterall Journal 44 by María Berríos traces the origins of the Museo de la Solidaridad (Museum of Solidarity), founded in 1971 in Chile as a counter-information campaign to defend Salvador Allende's 'revolution without arms' against a transnational imperialist smear campaign. The museum was conceived as a collection 'for the people, by the people' to support Third World emancipatory struggles. By the military coup on 11 September 1973, it comprised over 700 artworks. The project emerged from 'Operation Truth', an international counter-strategy organized by Renzo Rossellini and Augusto Olivares, which brought over fifty guests to Chile in April 1971, including artists, intellectuals, and activists. The idea of a museum was proposed by Spanish art critic José María Moreno Galván and supported by Allende. The International Committee of Artistic Solidarity (CISAC) was founded, presided by Mário Pedrosa. The museum operated without a building, staging exhibitions at the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo and the UNCTAD building. After the coup, the collection survived in exile as the International Museum of Resistance Salvador Allende (MIRSA), eventually forming the current Museo de la Solidaridad Salvador Allende in 1991.
Key facts
- Museum of Solidarity founded in 1971 in Chile.
- Conceived to support Allende's 'revolution without arms'.
- Over 700 artworks by the 1973 coup.
- Originated from 'Operation Truth' in April 1971.
- Idea proposed by José María Moreno Galván.
- CISAC founded with Mário Pedrosa as president.
- Museum never had a permanent building during Popular Unity.
- Collection survived exile and became Museo de la Solidaridad Salvador Allende in 1991.
Entities
Artists
- María Berríos
- Salvador Allende
- Renzo Rossellini
- Augusto Olivares
- José María Moreno Galván
- José Balmes
- Mário Pedrosa
- Danilo Trelles
- Carmen Waugh
- Virginia Vidal
- Miguel Rojas-Mix
- María Eugenia Zamudio
- Pablo Picasso
- Joan Miró
- Dore Ashton
- León Ferrari
- Marta Peluffo
- Luis Felipe Noé
- Luis Arbondo
- Jorge Nieto
- Juan Dávila
- Luz Donoso
- Hélio Oiticica
- Ferreira Gullar
- Gracia Barrios
- Guillermo Nuñez
- Eduardo Frei Montalva
- Jorge Alessandri
- Agustín Edwards
- Richard Nixon
- René Schneider
- Fidel Castro
Institutions
- Afterall
- Afterall Journal
- Museo de la Solidaridad (Museum of Solidarity)
- Museo de la Solidaridad Salvador Allende
- International Museum of Resistance Salvador Allende (MIRSA)
- Unidad Popular (Popular Unity)
- Comité de Artistas Plásticos de la Unidad Popular
- Instituto de Arte Latinoamericano (IAL)
- Museo de Arte Contemporáneo (Contemporary Art Museum)
- Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes (National Fine Arts Museum)
- Comité Internacional de Solidaridad Artística (CISAC)
- United Nations Conference for Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
- Televisión Nacional
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
- Associated Press
- Inter American Press Association
- El Mercurio
- Museu de Arte de São Paulo (MASP)
- University of Chile
- Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
Locations
- Chile
- Santiago
- Cuba
- Colombia
- Peru
- German Democratic Republic
- Uruguay
- Argentina
- Italy
- Spain
- France
- Mexico
- Nicaragua
- Brazil
- United States
- New York
- Madrid
- Florence
- Rio de Janeiro
Sources
- Afterall —