Artists have made a number of new interventions at the ESMA (La Escuela de Mecánica de la Armada) in Buenos Aires. During the last military dictatorship in Argentina, The Navy Petty-Officers School of Mechanics in the neighbourhood of Nuñez was used as a clandestine detention, torture and extermination centre.
Ex ESMA in Buenos Aires – design by Nazza Stencil
While the military junta were in charge of Argentina from 1976 to 1983 an estimated 30,000 people referred to as ‘los disparecidos’ or ‘the Disappeared’ were kidnapped by the police and army with an estimated 5,000 ‘dissidents’ held prisoner at the ex ESMA. The site is now a memorial space and a number of artists including Nazza Stencil have painted artworks there.
Crime and Punishment (Juicio y Castigo) – boy holding an image of one of ‘the Disappeared’
The buildings of ESMA have also been pasted with a number of images of young people who disappeared during the dictatorship.
Fernando Rubén Brodsky, 23, Secondary school student. Disappeared. Seen for last time in ESMA.
Ricardo Carpintero Lobo, 18, Secondary school student. Disappeared. Seen for the last time in ESMA
Morazul painting
Images of a number of ‘the Disappeared’ on buildings in ESMA
Mauricio Weinstein, 18, secondary school student. Disappeared.
Alejandro Luis Estigarria, 19, secondary school student. Disappeared.
María Gabriela Leguizamón, 16, secondary school student. Disappeared.
