Florida group
Encyclopedia
The Florida group were a Buenos Aires
-based avant-garde
literary group in the 1920s, known for their embrace of "art for art's sake". The name refers to Florida Street
, the location of a favored meeting point, the Richmond tea room.
The group was identified with the magazines Proa and Martín Fierro
, the latter named after the long poem Martín Fierro
, generally considered the greatest work of nineteenth-century Argentine
literature. The group is also often referred to as the Martín Fierro group (Sp. "grupo Martín Fierro").
Among the members of the Florida group were Oliverio Girondo
, Norah Lange
, Ricardo Güiraldes
, Francisco Luis Bernárdez
, Leopoldo Marechal
, Conrado Nalé Roxlo
, and Raúl González Tuñón.
Güiraldes was something of a father figure to many Florida members; already a major figure, he spent the 1920s writing his masterpiece Don Segundo Sombra
and studying Hindu
philosophy. He died in 1927, while planning a trip to India
.
Nicolás Olivari, who co-founded the more political Boedo
group, later became a member of the Florida group. The fiercely independent Roberto Arlt
met with both groups on an irregular basis, but committed to none.
Jorge Luis Borges
was not a regular in Florida meetings, but was a frequent contributor to Proa and Martín Fierro. Actually, Borges claimed that the entire Florida-Boedo rivalry was a pointless imitation of European fashions and that he should indeed belong to Boedo because of geography (he lived at that time in Bulnes Street, the name Boedo Street takes after it crosses Rivadavia Avenue).
Arturo Cancela
suggested in a letter to Martín Fierro that both sides merge under the common name of "Schools of Floredo street" and name Manuel Gálvez
as president, as he lived on Pueyrredón street, equidistant from both groups. By 1930, all the involved parties had concluded that the perceived rivalry was no longer an issue. Girondo (for Florida) and Castelnuovo (for Boedo) wrote newspaper articles to that effect.
After the 1930 military coup that launched the "Infamous Decade
", the Florida constituency gravitated towards Victoria Ocampo's
Sur magazine, which thrived in spite of the ever-deteriorating state of Argentine politics — until the advent of Peronism
in 1945.
During the 1960s and 1970s, left-wing and Peronist Argentine commentators identified Florida with many of the perceived illnesses of Argentine society such as ignoring the aspirations and culture of the lower classes (which Peronism would articulate), looking towards Europe
for inspiration, and being out of touch with any kind of productive work. González Tuñón alone was excepted from this treatment, because of the social themes of his poetry.
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
-based avant-garde
Avant-garde
Avant-garde means "advance guard" or "vanguard". The adjective form is used in English to refer to people or works that are experimental or innovative, particularly with respect to art, culture, and politics....
literary group in the 1920s, known for their embrace of "art for art's sake". The name refers to Florida Street
Florida Street
Florida Street is an elegant shopping street in Downtown Buenos Aires, Argentina. A pedestrian street since 1971, some stretches have been pedestrianized since 1913....
, the location of a favored meeting point, the Richmond tea room.
The group was identified with the magazines Proa and Martín Fierro
Martín Fierro (magazine)
Martín Fierro was an Argentine literary magazine which appeared from February 1924 to 1927. It was founded by Evar Méndez , José B. Cairola, Leónidas Campbell, H. Carambat, Luis L. Franco, Oliverio Girondo, Ernesto Palacio, Pablo Rojas Paz, and Gastón O...
, the latter named after the long poem Martín Fierro
Martín Fierro
Martín Fierro is a 2,316 line epic poem by the Argentine writer José Hernández. The poem was originally published in two parts, El Gaucho Martín Fierro and La Vuelta de Martín Fierro . The poem is, in part, a protest against the modernist tendencies of Argentine president Domingo Faustino Sarmiento...
, generally considered the greatest work of nineteenth-century Argentine
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
literature. The group is also often referred to as the Martín Fierro group (Sp. "grupo Martín Fierro").
Among the members of the Florida group were Oliverio Girondo
Oliverio Girondo
Oliverio Girondo was an Argentine poet. He was born in Buenos Aires to a relatively wealthy family, enabling him from a young age to travel to Europe, where he studied in both Paris and England...
, Norah Lange
Norah Lange
Norah Lange was an Argentine author, associated with the Buenos Aires avant garde of the 1920s and 1930s....
, Ricardo Güiraldes
Ricardo Güiraldes
Ricardo Güiraldes was an Argentine novelist and poet, one of the most significant Argentine writers of his era, particularly known for his 1926 novel Don Segundo Sombra, set amongst the gauchos.-Life:...
, Francisco Luis Bernárdez
Francisco Luis Bernárdez
Francisco Luis Bernárdez was an Argentine poet, born in Buenos Aires.He lived in Spain from 1920 until 1924, where he read the modernist poets that influenced in his first books, and he also worked as a journalist in Vigo....
, Leopoldo Marechal
Leopoldo Marechal
Leopoldo Marechal was one of the most important Argentine writers of the twentieth century.- Biographical notes :...
, Conrado Nalé Roxlo
Conrado Nalé Roxlo
Conrado Nalé Roxlo was an Argentine writer, journalist and humorist, born and died in Buenos Aires. He was author of poetry, plays, film scripts and pastiches in prose, and also the director of two humor magazines: Don Goyo and Esculapión.In 1945 he won the National Prize of Theatre for his play...
, and Raúl González Tuñón.
Güiraldes was something of a father figure to many Florida members; already a major figure, he spent the 1920s writing his masterpiece Don Segundo Sombra
Don Segundo Sombra
Don Segundo Sombra is a 1926 novel by Argentine rancher Ricardo Güiraldes. Like José Hernández's poem Martín Fierro, its protagonist is a gaucho. However, unlike Hernandez's poem, Don Segundo Sombra does not romanticize the figure of the gaucho, but simply examines the character as a shadow cast...
and studying Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
philosophy. He died in 1927, while planning a trip to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
Nicolás Olivari, who co-founded the more political Boedo
Boedo
Boedo is a working class barrio of Buenos Aires, Argentina. The neighborhood and one of its principal streets were named after Mariano Boedo, a leading figure in the Argentine independence movement....
group, later became a member of the Florida group. The fiercely independent Roberto Arlt
Roberto Arlt
Roberto Arlt was an Argentine writer.-Biography:He was born Roberto Godofredo Christophersen Arlt in Buenos Aires on April 2, 1900. His parents were both immigrants: his father Karl Arlt was a Prussian from Posen and his mother was Ekatherine Iobstraibitzer, a native of Trieste and Italian speaking...
met with both groups on an irregular basis, but committed to none.
Jorge Luis Borges
Jorge Luis Borges
Jorge Francisco Isidoro Luis Borges Acevedo , known as Jorge Luis Borges , was an Argentine writer, essayist, poet and translator born in Buenos Aires. In 1914 his family moved to Switzerland where he attended school, receiving his baccalauréat from the Collège de Genève in 1918. The family...
was not a regular in Florida meetings, but was a frequent contributor to Proa and Martín Fierro. Actually, Borges claimed that the entire Florida-Boedo rivalry was a pointless imitation of European fashions and that he should indeed belong to Boedo because of geography (he lived at that time in Bulnes Street, the name Boedo Street takes after it crosses Rivadavia Avenue).
Arturo Cancela
Arturo Cancela
Arturo Cancela was an Argentine novelist and critic. He coauthored several works with Pilar de Lusarreta. He wrote:* Tres relatos porteños* Film porteño * Historia funambulesca del profesor Landormy...
suggested in a letter to Martín Fierro that both sides merge under the common name of "Schools of Floredo street" and name Manuel Gálvez
Manuel Gálvez
Manuel Gálvez was an Argentine novelist, poet, essayist, historian and biographer....
as president, as he lived on Pueyrredón street, equidistant from both groups. By 1930, all the involved parties had concluded that the perceived rivalry was no longer an issue. Girondo (for Florida) and Castelnuovo (for Boedo) wrote newspaper articles to that effect.
After the 1930 military coup that launched the "Infamous Decade
Infamous Decade
The Infamous Decade in Argentina is the name given to the period of time that started in 1930 with the coup d'état against President Hipólito Yrigoyen by José Félix Uriburu...
", the Florida constituency gravitated towards Victoria Ocampo's
Victoria Ocampo
Victoria Ocampo Aguirre was an Argentine writer and intellectual, described by Jorge Luis Borges as La mujer más argentina ....
Sur magazine, which thrived in spite of the ever-deteriorating state of Argentine politics — until the advent of Peronism
Peronism
Peronism , or Justicialism , is an Argentine political movement based on the programmes associated with former President Juan Perón and his second wife, Eva Perón...
in 1945.
During the 1960s and 1970s, left-wing and Peronist Argentine commentators identified Florida with many of the perceived illnesses of Argentine society such as ignoring the aspirations and culture of the lower classes (which Peronism would articulate), looking towards Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
for inspiration, and being out of touch with any kind of productive work. González Tuñón alone was excepted from this treatment, because of the social themes of his poetry.