The many-hued applications of Filete Porteño, a traditional Argentine art form, paraded from slide to slide in a virtual workshop Centennial College hosted. Live from Argentina, Maestro Alfredo Genovese presented the ornamental style in advertising, packaging, vehicles and a seemingly endless number of media. Then he revealed a photo of a live bull with a vibrantly hand-painted hide.
“I was bored one summer, so I looked for a big bull to paint in the countryside,” Genovese explained. “The owner contacted me to paint that champion bull again for a big agricultural fair in Buenos Aires.”
“You can see it on YouTube or Vimeo.” He turned to the next slide.
Organized by Centennial College and the Argentine Consulate General, Genovese taught his online masterclass on Filete Porteño to over 150 attendees last November 18. UNESCO declared this style as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, a culturally diverse tradition each generation passes on to the next. Art students, faculty and enthusiasts from Centennial College, Humber College, Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University), Vanier College and Concordia University gathered to learn about this living cultural expression.
“Students from a number of programs joined the workshop, because they’re interested in learning all sorts of new techniques,” said Lisa Binnie, the program coordinator of Centennial’s Fine Arts Studio program who moderated the workshop. “It’s a really interesting art form to watch being made, and it lends itself well to mediums like illustration, graphic design and tattoo art.”
Highlighting this technique on a global level, the workshop opened on Zoom with greetings from the consulates general of Argentina in Toronto and Montreal. Genovese then used his phone to bring the audience on an intimate tour of his Buenos Aires studio. Attendees saw his eye-catching handiwork on well-lit walls, tidy shelves packed with vivid paints and neatly arranged tools, and inviting work tables for in-person workshops.
After the tour, the maestro touched on the Filete Porteño’s multicoloured history. Born as a popular craft, Filete Porteño’s bold shades and distinct lettering decorated carts transporting groceries around Buenos Aires at the end of the 19th century. Popular designs feature images connected to the city’s heritage: religious saints, respected politicians and music and sports idols. Recognized by UNESCO in 2015, the elaborate fine art is a part of the collective identity of Argentina’s capital and its people.
The maestro then showcased modern takes of Filete Porteño on everything from embellished logos to live animals. Red Bull, Nike and Tupperware are just some of the companies that have dressed their brands in this style for the Argentinian market.
Genovese explained that the technique begins with a drawing transferred symmetrically to the object to be designed with chalk. Artists complete it with synthetic paint, coloured varnish and special long-haired brushes.
The maestro also walked the audience through a practical painting exercise with a simple template. He shared the form’s basic rules – the consistency of the paint, the positioning of the brush and the artist’s hand, common patterns and applicable tips. Afterwards, the audience asked questions on the art form and his work.
“It was interesting to hear what people were asking,” said Binnie. “It wasn’t only about the technique and materials, but also about him and how he built his business.”
The maestro has specialized in Filete Porteño since 1988. He studied under two masters of the art, LeónUntroib and Ricardo Gómez, and now trains apprentices himself.
Genovese showed students a glimpse of art as an occupation during the workshop. Binnie observed the approach is basically the same no matter where artists are from.
“The way he talked about how he got some of that business, like when he painted the side of that bull,” she said. “He called around and found a bull that he could paint. He went out and found it; he didn’t wait for the work to come knocking on his door.”
By: Daisy Johanna Uy, Public Relations - Corporate Communications Student