Artists Carlos Musso (b. 1954), Carlos Seveso (b. 1954), and Eduardo Miranda formed Los Otros, an art collective active in Montevideo from 1979 to 1982. While this document presented one of the group exhibitions, it is more a declaration on the state of the local art scene than an analysis of a specific proposal. It was written in the political context of the eighties, a decade marked by growing demand for freedom in Uruguay. During the final years of the military dictatorship in power from 1973 to 1984, Los Otros—like many other groups of artists—produced mainly environmental installations with a conceptual inclination. The group questioned the traditional art object and authorship in art while addressing and evaluating a specific political context; they explored, strained, and exploited the glimmers of freedom during the dying days of an authoritarian government. The document voices Los Otros’ ideological position in sarcastic and critical language instead of describing the exhibition. It also contains images of the past that further the biting criticism of public institutions and other government-run spaces and of ruthless private initiatives. Both circuits were undermined by proposals interested in taking root at the margins of power—in that, Los Otros was akin to others in Latin America pursuing conceptual practices. “The viewer” is envisioned as a creator before the work in proposals informed by reception theory. The work itself is not conceived in traditional pictorial or sculptural terms, but instead is considered in relation to an uncertain process whereby, through artistic vision, common and austere objects are transformed in new vital relationships with their context. From an ironic stance, the document describes the long-awaited “burial” of traditional art in the sanctified space of the Museo Nacional. In both their written language and their graphic illustrations, Los Otros partook of the biting and sarcastic spirit of Dada as they demanded changes in society. [For further reading, see the following texts in the ICAA digital archive: by May Puchet “Una narrativa sobre el arte uruguayo en dictadura. Las instalaciones y estrategias conceptualistas de los grupos Octaedro, Los Otros y Axioma” (doc. no. 1251139); by Mercedes Sayagués Areco “Entrevista” (doc. no. 1250282); and by Álvaro Cármenes, José Onir Da Rosa, et al. “Grupo Axioma” (doc. no. 1250744)].
