Witness to the follySr. Carlos Paez Vilaro claims title of Uruguay's leading artist - still churning out at 81. His early work is whimsical, colors bright and stock of images: fish, suns and moons, universally pleasant and benign.
But what was once artistic whimsy, and a wanderlust that took him to Tahiti, Spain (for requisite portrait with Picasso), and African airports where his murals hover over departure lounges, has faded. In the blurry celuloid journey thrust on visitors to his "fantasy" home cum landmark cum museum cum hotel - Casa Pueblo - the symbols all but lose their magic.
What's left disipates as you wander Casa Pueblo itself - a Gaudi-esque (his claim) confection of bumpy plaster teetering above a dramatic shoreline south of Punta.
And the charm tips to repulsion as you realize this "museum", incased in his architectural folly, is no more than a glorfied giftshop. His symbols morphed into pure commerce objects of astrology signs (for sale), posters, cheaply produced dinner plates and mugs.
Casa Pueblo, Punta del EsteC - pro-artist, pro-folly, sad for art reduced to ashtray decals during an artist's own lifetime
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