Teary-Eyed Goodbyes
THE SUN WAS SETTING, and it was all anyone cared about. It was a stunning view, the spot where the Rio de la Plata meets the Atlantic.
Something beautiful was being read aloud. Something romantic. Something in Spanish, which means I only understood parts of it. A sudden calm had silenced the once buzzing crowd, and now everyone was seated, staring toward the sun. Couples nuzzled. Parents squeezed their bothered babies tight.
“Hello Sun! With your belly loaded with boiling gold” came the voice of Carlos Paez Vilaro.
Casapueblo at sunset.
—|||—
We were at Casapueblo, a boutique hotel and permanent art installation in Punta Ballena, Uruguay. It’s a maze-like concrete and stucco palace dotted with balconies and verandas, each with competing killer views of the crashing waves below. Inspired by the mud nests of the Rufous Hornero, a national emblem of Uruguay, Vilaro created this thirteen-story masterpiece by the sea over thirty years with no predetermined plan, and spent his final days here in 2014.
Vilaro, a source of pride for many Uruguayans, has work displayed around the globe, from the United States to Gabon. He has found success as a painter, a writer, a sculptor, a potter, and a composer, and has befriended the famous, from Brigitte Bardot to Pablo Picasso.
Another, much more dramatic and heartbreaking claim to fame is that Vilaro’s son, Carlos Miguel was a member of the Old Christians rugby team whose plane crashed in the Andes in the 70’s. (Remember the movie Alive?) Carlitos was stranded at nearly 12,000 feet for 72 days, and after resorting to cannibalism was one of only 16 survivors. Casapueblo pays tribute to his rescue.
—|||—
The oration echoed through the air, his voice more and more soothing with each minute, lulling us all to thoughts of longing, of hope, to memories of loved ones lost. A dreamy purple-red haze fell over the horizon and splashed each tranquil face with color. The stark white exterior of Casapueblo absorbed the warmth like the blank canvas of a painter.
“From my terraces I watch you arrive each afternoon like a ring of fire rolling through the years, punctual, ever present, inspiring my philosophy since the day I dreamt of erecting Casapueblo and placed my first brick among these rocks.” Vilaro’s Sun Ceremony continued.
As the last sliver of light left our sight for the night, the piece came to a peaceful end. It was as if they had choreographed this dance to impress us all. Silently, spectators filed back into the building. Some wiped their eyes from either the emotional weight of the experience, or from staring at the sun for the past six minutes.
I didn’t ask, but no matter the reason, I’ll pretend it’s the former. What a beautiful thought.
———-
VERDICT: Mostly Harmless.
Goodbye sun.
LINKS:
Casapueblo: 20 rooms and 50 apartments make this seaside art installation a hotel. Room rates vary greatly depending on the season.
Punta Ballena, : Just 14km north of Punta del Este, Uruguay. Easily accessible through public transportation, or private hire.
Carlos Paez Vilaro: Sculptor, painter, writer, composer, builder. Born in Montevideo, Uruguay. Common themes in his artwork include scenes from daily life, dolls, and animals.
Rufous Hornero: Medium-sized ovenbird found throughout South America. The national bird of both Uruguay and Argentina, they are known for their dome-like mud nests.
Headline Image: from the Candombe collection.
