Two beams stand tall. These are the last remnants of the original AMIA building. This is El Muro de la Memoria. It stands as a powerful reminder of the brutal terrorist attack. The attack reduced the mutual Israelite Association in Buenos Aires to rubble.
On July 18, 1994, at 9:53 AM, a bomb exploded. Eighty-five lives were lost. Over 300 people were injured. Today, El Muro de la Memoria stands. It ensures that the victims are remembered. It keeps the collective memory alive. It demands the justice that has yet to come.
The original building was constructed in 1945. The explosion caused it to collapse. A new building was erected. It opened five years after the tragedy in 1999. Like many commemorations, it reopened at 9:53 AM. The two original beams were integrated into the new structure. They lean against the side wall.
Martín Ron is a world-renowned artist. He transformed these beams into a mural. It reflects a painful reality. It tells a story of a wound that remains open in Argentina’s history. Ron calls his art “urban surrealism.” His works can be found worldwide.
Elio Kapszuk is the director of the AMIA Art Space. He believes the columns are the only architectural memory of the old building. They survived the worst terrorist attack in the country. They now support the demand for justice.
Ron faced a central question. How do you translate a plea into a pictorial plane? How do you create a dreamlike image? He transformed the surviving beams into staircases. Ron said it was one of the biggest challenges he had ever worked on. The staircase connects. It rises from the earth. It is surrounded by a collective demand. Families, victims, and society all cry out. It ascends toward the sky. Ron believes they captured the idea of remembering as a necessary exercise.
Street artists usually work freely. They express their own universes. This project was different. Ron collaborated with the AMIA. It was an enriching research exercise. It introduced him to a new universe.
Ron discovered the “Jacob’s Dream” story. It is a passage from Genesis. Jacob dreamed of a stairway resting on the earth. Its top reached heaven. Angels were going up and down it. The Lord said to Jacob, “I am with you. I will protect you wherever you go.”
El Muro de la Memoria was officially inaugurated. It renews the search. It amplifies the call for justice. The mural spans 12 meters wide. It extends 30 meters high. It is one of the largest in the Once neighborhood.
Agustín Zbar is the president of AMIA. He said they cannot deliver justice. But they can create actions. They can use art and communication. This keeps the memory alive. He recalled the 1994 attack. Fundamentalist Islamic terrorism perpetrated it. To this day, no one has been convicted.
Kapszuk curated and coordinated the project. El Muro de la Memoria seeks to make visible the marks of the old building. These marks remained after the destruction. The goal is to give them new meaning through street art.
Kapszuk notes that the columns are the only architectural memory of the old building. Its large size makes it visible from outside. It reminds everyone that this attack happened to all of us.
Ron is considered a top muralist. He appreciates the opportunity to create the work. He highlights art’s power. It serves the community. It transforms neighborhoods. It keeps their memory alive.
Ron created a staircase on the old building’s columns. A person climbs it. They are surrounded by a crowd demanding justice. Sofía Guterman is Andrea’s mother. Andrea was one of the 85 victims. She says this staircase represents what we lack to reach justice. She declared that impunity wants to cover everything up. But we will not allow it.
El Muro de la Memoria stands as a testament. It reflects resilience and remembrance. It stands for the ongoing pursuit of justice. It ensures that the stories of those lost are never forgotten.