Buenos Aires' MALBA, the Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires, is entering a new chapter as it marks its 25th anniversary. Founded in 2001 by Argentine collector Eduardo F. Costantini, the museum was created to bring greater international visibility to Latin American art.
The institution has acquired the Zurich-based Daros Latinamerica Collection, adding 1,233 works by 117 artists produced mainly between the 1950s and 2010s. The arrival of this group significantly broadens MALBA's ability to present the region's artistic movements across generations.
A broader artistic timeline
The new holdings include works by Hélio Oiticica, Ana Mendieta, Belkis Ayón, Víctor Grippo, Lygia Clark, Gego, Antonio Dias, Maria Freire, Liliana Porter, Mira Schendel, Luis Camnitzer and Doris Salcedo. They complement MALBA's established modern-art collection, known for landmark pieces by Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, Tarsila do Amaral, Leonora Carrington, Remedios Varo and Wifredo Lam.
With nearly 3,000 objects in its collection, the museum can now connect early 20th-century modernism with later conceptual, experimental and contemporary practices from across Latin America. Part of the Daros collection is already included in the exhibition "Latinoamérica en expansión," which will grow as part of the anniversary program.
The acquisition also supports an ambitious development plan. MALBA intends to expand its Palermo Chico site to approximately 90,000 square feet, with new galleries expected to open in 2029. A dedicated technical reserve is also planned at Malba Puertos in Escobar.
MALBA's evolution reflects how museums can turn collecting into a long-term cultural dialogue. Its expanded scope may help future audiences encounter Latin American art as a connected, diverse and continuously evolving global history.
