It goes back to this basic aesthetic attitude toward life that is more pronounced in "Latin" countries than in the U.S. Yes, there are a lot of folks from South America in Miami; however, the city itself is dominated by this materialistic drive (which isn't a bad thing in itself) that reaches an extreme form there.
Madrid resembles Paris on this count: elite status is, to an important measure, tied to markers of high culture. When I listen to interviews of José María Aznar, he always tries to mention some philosopher he read recently, which may seem pretentious, but at the same time I don't see DeSantis quoting William James the way Aznar does with Ortega y Gasset.
Clusters of customers for artists could form in both places, as Latin American capital flows to both of them. But in Madrid there is the pull of cultural tradition, a different, more culture-oriented elite status game, and more institutions which make it more propitious for the flourishing of the arts than Miami.
Why not Miami rather than Madrid?
Hi Steve, thanks for your question.
It goes back to this basic aesthetic attitude toward life that is more pronounced in "Latin" countries than in the U.S. Yes, there are a lot of folks from South America in Miami; however, the city itself is dominated by this materialistic drive (which isn't a bad thing in itself) that reaches an extreme form there.
Madrid resembles Paris on this count: elite status is, to an important measure, tied to markers of high culture. When I listen to interviews of José María Aznar, he always tries to mention some philosopher he read recently, which may seem pretentious, but at the same time I don't see DeSantis quoting William James the way Aznar does with Ortega y Gasset.
Clusters of customers for artists could form in both places, as Latin American capital flows to both of them. But in Madrid there is the pull of cultural tradition, a different, more culture-oriented elite status game, and more institutions which make it more propitious for the flourishing of the arts than Miami.