From the Legislature to the world: Córdoba's Metal Arte heads for export markets

A project from the Creative Industries cluster, associated with the Cámara de Industriales Metalúrgicos y de Componentes de Córdoba (CIMCC), was presented Tuesday at the provincial Legislature. Artists and leaders from Córdoba's industrial and cultural sectors attended.

On Tuesday, the Córdoba Legislature hosted the launch of Jardín Doméstico, an innovative project by the Grupo Exportador Metal Arte that aims to take metal art by leading Córdoba artists to international markets. The initiative is part of the Cluster de Industrias Creativas y Culturales de Córdoba, associated with the Cámara de Industriales Metalúrgicos y de Componentes de Córdoba (CIMCC), and is supported by Agencia Competitividad Córdoba (Córdoba Competitiveness Agency), among other institutions.

The launch was attended by Gustavo Del Boca, president of the Cámara de Industriales Metalúrgicos y de Componentes de Córdoba; Mariano Almada, Culture Secretary for the City of Córdoba; Valentina Astudillo, representing the Agency; Federico Menis, director general of Cultural and Heritage Affairs at the Legislature; Verónica Molas, curator of the traveling exhibition; Belén Pistone, one of the cluster's driving forces; and other officials and community leaders.

During the presentation, Astudillo highlighted the value of Córdoba's metal art in an export context, noting that "synergy, innovation and internationalization are the keys to taking local talent to global markets, driving competitiveness and opportunity in this sector."

Several artists who are already producing work adapted for export markets also took part. The group includes Trinidad Caminos, Emilia Córdoba, Guillermo Losano, Miguel Ángel Rodríguez, Pablo Rocha and Inés Rozze, who presented art objects ready for the international market.

Grupo Exportador Metal Arte, formed in 2023 through the "Objeto de Arte" project, aims to bring these works to international markets and create new business opportunities for local artists.

Since its creation, the group has built a solid process for creating and valuing artworks for export. The effort is backed by institutions such as ProCórdoba and the Agencia para el Desarrollo Económico de la Ciudad de Córdoba (ADEC), and draws on specialized export training for the visual arts.

"Jardín Doméstico respects each artist's individual aesthetic, but with an approach that allows the works to travel and be shipped. The goal is to create pieces of high artistic value that can enter international fairs and events, giving local artists a solid platform to reach a global audience," Molas noted

The key to the project is the artists' ability to create sculptures that blend aesthetics and function, meeting the needs of the interior design market, a segment that is growing significantly worldwide. Without losing their creative identity, each artist has designed works that can be produced in series, making it easier to break into these niches.