Helmut Ditsch: 'I will not yield to government extortion'

Argentine artist Helmut Ditsch declared he would not concede to government demands for the return of his painting "The Triumph of Nature," which was inspired by the Perito Moreno glacier. The artwork, loaned to the Casa Rosada in 2012, was removed a week before a debate on glacier protection law, reportedly by order of Karina Milei.

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I am not going to yield to the government's extortion.

Ditsch, who resides in Vienna, made his statement at the Faculty of Law of the University of Buenos Aires. He recounted his artistic journey, his philosophical influences from Nietzsche and Heidegger, and expressed admiration for musician Charly García. His father, Walter Ditsch, and sports trainer Raúl Zabala were present, along with neighbors from his hometown of Villa Ballester. His painting "Glacier Perito Moreno" is currently displayed at the Faculty of Law.

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The work will remain as it is, let them keep it.

The artist criticized the current government, stating they are not truly Argentine and suggesting a law to strip "traitors to the homeland" of their nationality. He contrasted this with his positive relationships with officials from previous administrations, including those of Néstor Kirchner, Cristina Kirchner, Mauricio Macri, and Alberto Fernández. Ditsch described the tone of emails from the current government as "very dark."

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They are not Argentines. A law should be made to strip traitors to the homeland of their nationality; Argentinity is suffering a frontal assault, but the only violence we must accept is that of nature.

Describing himself as a romantic painter, Ditsch emphasized experiential realism, stating he must live an experience before painting it. He also touched upon personal experiences, including a past fraud by two gallery owners in Argentina and a spiritual connection to nature linked to his mother's death. He believes Argentine identity is under attack but that only natural violence is acceptable.

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The tone of the emails they sent me from this government is very dark.