Two elderly sisters, aged 93 and 89, were found dead yesterday afternoon in their apartment in Recoleta. The police believe they may have been dead for a period of between two to six months. The cause of death is still being investigated and autopsies are being carried out, but there are no signs of violence at the apartment. “The bodies were rigid, like stones,” said one of the witnesses of the find.

A neighbour at the building in Juncal 1837, close to Callao avenue, called the police after he hadn’t seen the women in a while and a nauseating smell was coming from the apartment on the fourth floor. Neighbours had been complaining of the strong smell for a week before someone called the police. “The two women had been missing for months. Everyone supposed they were dead, but no one bothered to report it,” said an employee at a nearby shop.

One of the theories brought forward during the investigation is that they could have died of suffocation after inhaling carbon monoxide, but the neighbours had not noticed any gas leak in the past months.

Carlos Johnston, mayor of Catriel, a town in Río Negro, has been missing since 7am yesterday. The provincial police are now searching for his whereabouts since his wife reported him missing.

Johnston’s family became worried as they were waiting to celebrate the birthday of one of his children. Yesterday, relatives and officials spent all day to trying to get a hold of him to no avail.

Today, Viviana Germanier, Johnston’s wife, received an anonymous message quoting ‘Estoy’ (I am), the police told La Nacíon. The number was then called back but no one answered.

There police are searching the arid desert area of the region, 130 kilometres from Neuquén, the capital of the neighbouring province.

Police are looking for a 9-year-old boy who disappeared Tuesday on his way home from school.

Tomás Damen Santillán, who is in third grade at School Number 1 Domingo Faustino Sarmiento in Lincoln, normally walks 15 blocks to his house at Avenida 25 de Mayo 356. When he did not arrive shortly after noon, his family reported him missing to the police.

Minister of Justice and Security of Buenos Aires, Ricardo Casal, says authorities have searched over 700 homes and combed area roads, fields and wooded areas with 12 dogs. Two helicopters have also been dispatched in the search mission.

According to police, the dogs picked up the boy’s trail along his normal route home from school, but then lost the scent after five blocks.

Tomás is described as being a quiet boy. There were no reports of him exhibiting any strange behaviour prior to his disappearance.

He has short, blond hair, light brown eyes and a fair complexion. He has a thin build, is 1.20 meters tall, and weigh between 28 and 30 kilos.

A man announced yesterday that his father was missing after workers had begun to tear down a building where his father lived. The 10-story apartment building at Bartolomé Mitre 1232 had partially collapsed Friday night after neighbors reported that the floors were moving and that there were cracks in the walls.

Authorities immediately evacuated the building, and it fell down a short while later. Initially it was thought that everyone had escaped unharmed. It seems, however, that 74-year-old Alberto Madueña, may have been left inside.

Madueña, who had lived in the building for 20 years, shared an apartment with his sister. According to his son, Madueña had a hearing problem and may not have heard the warning signals to leave the building that were issued just before the building’s collapse.

Officials say it is not yet safe for workers to search in the rubble for the missing man, as conditions are still dangerous and the site has not been stabilised.

The entire block surrounding the building in the Balvanera neighborhood has been closed off and as many as 220 people have been asked to evacuate their homes until the surrounding area can be determined safe.

It is thought that the building collapsed because of construction work going on next door where excavators had dug a hole too close to the building’s foundation.

Police are investigating the disappearance of an 11-year-old girl in Hurlingham, Buenos Aires province. Candela Sol Rodríguez was last seen on Monday night, 22nd August, as she walked to meet friends, on their way to the hairdresser.

Over 500 policemen have been deployed to search Greater Buenos Aires, and, for the moment, have no leads.

The Justice and Security minister of Buenos Aires Province, Ricardo Casal, said on television channel C5N this morning, “we are doing everything we can”. He added that the force were inundanted with calls, each of which were taken into account, “even the absurd ones”. A $100 thousand reward has been offered for anyone who can provide relevant information as to Candela’s whereabouts.

A bitter blow came by way of a prank call yesterday between two young girls, pretending to be the victim. Their calls were intercepted, and police traced them to the Esteban Echeverría neighbourhood, only to find they were mistaken.

Two people have been killed, at least 15 injured, and one person missing following last night’s storm in Buenos Aires, police officials have confirmed.

Yesterday reports came in of a young driver in La Plata, fatally injured by a tree falling on his car. This morning officials also confirmed the death of a second victim as it was discovered that a 65-year-old man was crushed by the collapse of his roof in Lanús.

Coastguards in Entre Ríos are now searching for a missing victim who yesterday fell into the Paraná river during a sailing trip. The victim, identified by local media as Emanuel López, 25, was sailing with a friend when the boat was capsized by the force of the wind. Coastguards were able to rescue the friend and are currently searching for López.

At least 15 critical injuries have been reported in the capital.

At its height the wind reached 86km/h. Some of the damage included fallen trees, signal failures on the subte and train lines, and power cuts.

Photo by Sophie Spandonis

Artwork by Luis Fernandez and Rusti Delmos

Objetos Encontrados is a place for people who’ve lost something but they don’t quite know what. They won’t find their missing wallet or keys, but rather a fresh way to look at life and the city, as the seven artists who work for the gallery all give new life to old objects, recycling things they encounter in a very amusing and sensitive way.

A rusty bicycle hanging on the wall on its way up to heaven, a piece of wood changed into a space-ship, a plug turned into a face: every object gets to live another life and acquires a new vocation within the walls of the gallery. An old version of the famous ‘Guía T’ triumphantly sits between a retro Donald Duck plastic ornament and a vintage paper-back titled ‘Si me amas te mato’ (If you love me I’ll kill you), which looks as if it’s been read quite a few times. The pieces seem to either glorify or make fun of the society in which we live.

The name of the place – which is the Argentine version of ‘lost and found objects’, but also means ‘encountered objects’ – can be perceived as an excuse to expose just any old object and call it art. But the majority of the pieces that have been worked on, as well as the philosophy behind the gallery, make it worth the detour.

“What is important to see in every item is the word ‘encounter’ that animates us all,” says Luis Fernández, 47, who opened the place four years ago. “We don’t only find things in order to make new objects, we also create pieces to share our visions with one another and with the people who visit our gallery. Everybody is welcome to look at our work, sit down, have a cup of tea and chat.”

Before any commercial interest, he insists, the way visitors perceive their work is essential. Which is why Luis has hung up a quote to warn the hosts: “All things are only what one perceives them to be.”

Photo by Sophie Spandonis

Artwork by Sophie Spandonis

Of wood and plastic

The seven young artists, who call themselves ‘the seven mad men’, meet up in this tiny place entirely made out of wood by co-founder architect Guillermina Luz Sanchez, and share their recycling experiences. They each use different materials. Luis, who likes to think of himself as an eternal apprentice, works with bois flotté, pieces of driftwood he turns into works of art: “I love to walk on beaches, pick up sticks, play and build sculptures with them.”

In the same playful way, Rusti Deimos, the ‘space cherub’, makes robots from colourful and useless pieces of plastic he finds. “It’s an investigative process,” he states. “It’s a means of expressing myself with which I feel free. I only started making these a year ago, and I realise they are slowly changing.” Using plugs for the heads makes one wonder what his next move will be.

Photo by Sophie Spandonis

Artwork by Ange Potier

Of life and sickness

Two of the partners are photographers. Hernan Reig’s work is one of the gallery’s strongest attractions. Inspired by French artist Henri Michaux’s perception of landscape, he has replaced pills by small photos in old pill capsules. Instead of a painkiller, you’ll find a smile, a cat with its tail up or a multitude of objects reflecting life and the world. Taken in black and white, the pictures are emphasised by the silver frames.

“Pill capsules refer to many things like illness and the pharmaceutical industry,” says the 37-year-old artist. Hernan confesses to enjoying twisting the symbols around by inserting life where the tablets were, which at the same time underlines life’s vulnerability.

“We think about the different ways of using our pictures, like the others do with the objects,” adds photographer Sophie Spandonis who takes mini-pictures of the city in various unusual angles, like one of an angel showing her bum in Recoleta Cemetery. “That’s why I decided to re-think the usual formats. I find it amusing to be able to fit a few pictures in my pocket and show them to my friends at any time. It’s my own personal way to desecrate art photos.”

After arriving from France a few months ago, she also decided to create a series of old fashion-looking postcards called ‘Objetos porteños’. The pictures illustrate typical things you find in Buenos Aires, such as a soda-water bottle or an old poster of tango singer Carlos Gardel hung up with pegs.

Other worlds are possible

If you are looking for a room with a view, French illustrator Ange Potier, who designed the website, will at least provide the view. His 3D paintings, sold in small boxes, can transport you from Paris to Buenos Aires, providing anything from rooftops to a glimpse of a woman’s bare hip in a tiled bathroom. Visitors will also encounter paintings by Gustavo di Pompo, who is the multidisciplinary one of the team, as he also takes pictures and plays music.

Photo by Sophie Spandonis

Artwork by Hernan Reig

“At the end of the day, the gallery reflects the story of our friendship,” adds Luis. “I started the adventure with Guillermina, and more and more artists have joined us, which makes me happy, as it’s a chance for them to show their work to the public.”

A glance at the visitors’ book will immediately make it clear that Objetos Encontrados has inspired more than one passer-by, as some have made drawings and others have written poetry. “Encountered objects, encountered artists, encountered visitors: we are all professional ‘encounters’,” concludes Hernán grinning. “Every one of us lives in its own world, and every encounter reminds us of the surreal possibility of another world.”

Objetos Encontrados can be found on Thames 1721, Palermo Monday to Saturday from 12-8pm. www.objetos-encontrados.com The prices of the art pieces vary form $20 to $500