ICI Travels: Uruguay
Seven days of private touring between Montevideo and José Ignacio, curated by Independent Curators International. The group stays at the Hotel Costanero in Montevideo, then at Bahía Vik in José Ignacio, and opens doors that normally stay shut: private collections in Montevideo, Museo Nacional de Artes Visuales, Fundación Ama Amoedo, Museo de Arte Contemporáneo Atchugarry, meetings with local cultural leaders, tables devoted to Uruguayan food and wine. The price includes a donation to the foundation.
Line-up : Independent Curators International (New York), 401 Broadway #1620. The programme announces meetings with Uruguayan cultural leaders and visits to private collections in Montevideo.
How to get in
Independent Curators International, 401 Broadway #1620, New York — Serena Brunswig handles bookings.
Write to Serena Brunswig, then pay the deposit of 5,000 USD per person. The balance is due on 15 January 2027; no refunds after 1 November 2026.
The turnkey stay
Seven days in February when contemporary art leaves the gallery wall to follow the Atlantic coast: ICI Travels opens the doors of the Museo Nacional de Artes Visuales and of private collections in Montevideo, then heads down to José Ignacio for the Fundación Ama Amoedo, the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo Atchugarry and artists' studios, between dinners orchestrated by the local cultural scene. On site, you sleep at Playa Vik José Ignacio, on Mansa beach, minutes from Bahía Vik: the main building by Carlos Ott, a bronze door by Pablo Atchugarry, a collection of Uruguayan and international art — the hotel is already an exhibition. The trip was built with Laura Bardier, a member of the ICI board of trustees and founder of the ESTE ARTE fair: the key that opens the doors you cannot push alone.
Where to stay
- Playa Vik José Ignacio — On Mansa beach, in José Ignacio, about 20 km north-east of Punta del Este and minutes from Bahía Vik. The main building, "Sculpture", is by Carlos Ott, the Uruguayan architect: a bronze entrance door by Pablo Atchugarry and a major collection of Uruguayan and international contemporary art. Sixteen suites in all: three master suites in the main building and six casas of two to three bedrooms. Cantilevered pool of about 23 metres in black Uruguayan granite, its floor tracing a star map of the southern hemisphere in points of light. The Cielomar restaurant faces the ocean and is presented by the house as Uruguay's first 100% gluten-free restaurant; The Shack spa, shared across the Vik collection, is at Bahía Vik.
- Posada Ayana — A small house of eight rooms and suites in José Ignacio itself (Paseo del Marinero), private gardens, terraces or ocean views, vintage furniture sourced in Montevideo and Buenos Aires in the 1950s-60s spirit of Saint-Tropez and Monte-Carlo. Above all: it shares its grounds with Ta Khut, a James Turrell Skyspace inaugurated in November 2021, access to which is offered to guests of the posada at reserved times. The perfect address to extend an art trip.
Where to dine
- Parador La Huella — The institution of José Ignacio, feet in the sand of Playa Brava — address and contact details confirmed on its official site. (Uruguay is not covered by the Michelin Guide; the regional benchmark is Latin America's 50 Best Restaurants, where La Huella appears on the extended list, 83rd in the latest published ranking.) Grilled catch of the day, ceviches, tempuras, sushi and parrilla, lunches that stretch out over rosé. Booking essential in February.
- Cielomar at Playa Vik — Playa Vik's restaurant, facing the ocean, right where you are staying: cuisine announced by the house as 100% gluten-free, unique in Uruguay. Handy for dinner without getting back on the road, between two studio visits.
What to experience
- Journée gaucho et polo à Estancia Vik José Ignacio — The third house of the Vik collection, 9 km (5.6 miles) from Playa Vik and Bahía Vik, on around 1,600 hectares (4,000 acres) of countryside. You ride out with the gauchos on criollo horses and quarter horses, take a polo lesson on the private field (matches for experienced riders), then lunch at El Asador, around the central fire, temple of the Uruguayan barbecue. The setting is worth the trip: a 3.5-metre white marble sculpture by Pablo Atchugarry, a ceiling frieze by Clever Lara in the main living room, a chapel decorated by Carlos Musso.
- Bodega Garzón, expériences œnotouristiques et feux de Francis Mallmann — On the hills of Garzón, in the hinterland of Maldonado. On its official experiences page the estate offers the Single Vineyard Tour, the Garzón Premium Experience and the Garzón Reserva Tour, a blending workshop assessed by one of the bodega's sommeliers, a picnic in the vines and a cooking class around the Francis Mallmann fires with the restaurant team, ending in a four-course lunch. The estate has its own restaurant, with tastings and exclusive wines to match.
Official event website →