Using graphic sources for the study of the transformation of a tourist town. Mar del Plata, 1950-1970.

Abstract

The use of graphic sources in historical studies has presented difficulties for validity and reliability. From the already overcame work of semiotics to the recent contributions of so-called visual studies, the debate about its use remains open. Within this context, the present work tackles the study of collective housing in the city of Mar del Plata, which, since its expansion in the 1950s, produced a profound transformation in the material aspects of the city.
The city of Mar del Plata which emerged from this process applies typological models of buildings and houses that come from various fields, proposing new lifestyles. These lifestyles not only have their origins in the disciplinary, but also in medicine, the points of view of the housewives, urban policies and real estate speculation among others. To detect these various references it was necessary to use alternative and lesser explored sources such as promotional images contained in articles and advertisements which appeared during summertime seasons in the newspaper La Capital of Mar del Plata between 1957 and 1969. Also, Illustrations from brochures for the sale of the apartment units of new buildings rising from the city were used. Thus, this work contributes to the implementation of a more complex look on the materialization of Mar del Plata as a modern beach resort, which transcends the visions centered on tourism and real estate speculation. Our study also aims to put into question the use of images as historical source.