Adobe Asociación Civil is a non-profit organization that has promoted rural development projects in southeastern Santiago del Estero since 2001. Its work is organized around three pillars — culture, health, and education — to expand opportunities for rural residents, enabling them to remain rooted in their communities while strengthening their cultural identity. To mark its 25th anniversary, the organization is presenting La Riqueza del Monte, an exhibition that opens on October 7 in Buenos Aires.
How did the organization begin?
The organization began with the vision of Andreina Bassetti Rocca, whose appreciation for the region's crafts grew into a broader commitment to preserving its cultural heritage. "Adobe embodies Bassetti Rocca's vision; she was a visionary woman who spearheaded community development in Santiago del Estero. She first supported local women weavers, then expanded opportunities through educational support programs for children in rural schools, while also promoting healthcare initiatives in Quimilí Paso. These are the organization's founding values: building community, revitalizing local crafts and traditions, and creating connections through art, education, and health," says Erika Bienek, Chief Community Relations Officer of the Techint Group.
What will the exhibition show?
Traditional textiles, ceramics and wooden pieces from Santiago del Estero, accompanied by a documentary and a series of photographs. Workshops devoted to spinning, natural dyeing, and loom weaving restored practices that younger generations had viewed as belonging to the past and, over time, opened a path toward independence. One work embodies that journey: a triptych of rugs by textile artisans Marina Landriel and Nelly Melián, together with Claudia Mazzola, who trained them, forming the phrase Creer para ver — Believe in order to see.
"Some of the young women who were twelve or fifteen when the weaving school began are now independent, with their own businesses and sales channels," explains Matilde Mazzei, Vice President of Adobe Asociación Civil. With the textile artisans working independently, Adobe is now directing greater support towards ceramics and woodworking.
Part of a long-term commitment to rural communities
Beyond crafts, Adobe helped establish a local health post serving surrounding communities, provided educational support that grew from the children of the first weaving students, and facilitated access to water and efforts to protect the monte. La Riqueza del Monte opens on October 7 at the Museo de Arte Popular José Hernández.
