UNA MIRADA DOS REALIDADES

 Una Mirada, Dos Realidades (One Look, Two Realities), directed by Corinne van der Borch, examines the current and historical context surrounding the fairgrounds of the Feria de la Paz y Confraternidad del Mundo Libre (Fair of Peace and Fraternity of the Free World) in Santo Domingo. The fair, staged in 1955 by the dictator Rafael Trujillo to commemorate the 25th anniversary of his rule, reaffirmed architectural modernist tropes in its structures and overall master plan. The architecture of the fair facilitated the presentation of the country as a regional and global power.

Today, the fair’s structures are used both as the home of many of the country’s most powerful governmental bodies, but also by informal vendors during the day and illicit enterprises at night. The film captures the variety of types of occupation through personal interviews, and displays the transition of the fairgrounds from day to night. The inherent dualities and contradictions evident on the fairgrounds represent the unique national identity of the Dominican Republic. The film was an integral part of the inaugural representation of the Dominican Republic at the 2014 Venice Biennale of Architecture.