Zadnjih petnajst let je sodobni Čile bolj znan po proizvodnji vina in stalni gospodarski rasti kot po arhitekturi. To je prostor razlik v razporeditvi bogastva, ki združuje vinograde in postaje podzemne železnice z vrhunsko tehnologijo ter favele. Toda dejstvo, da državno administracijo vodi ženska, o tej deželi pove veliko. V Čilu denimo prevladuje zmerno stališče do nacionalne pripadnosti. V deželi, ki ne temelji na posebej močni predkolumbovski kulturi in ki so jo hkrati ustvarjali evropski priseljenci, so na lokalno identiteto že od nekdaj vplivale globalne težnje, še posebej od 19. stoletja naprej. Nekje med pomanjkanjem kulturnega odpora in sposobnostjo osvajanja sodobnih mednarodnih smernic je v zadnjih nekaj desetletjih Čile postal zelo prefinjeno in nekonfliktno okolje ne le v gospodarskem in političnem smislu, ampak tudi za kulturno ustvarjanje.
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Modern-day Chile is recognized for its wine production or its success in achieving sustained growth over the last 15 years rather than for its architecture. It is a place of disparity regarding wealth, where one can find the most sophisticated grape growing or subway stations and slums together. Nevertheless, the fact that the country’s administration is run by a female president says a lot about its unknown nature. For example, Chile is characterized by a moderate attitude towards national identity. Being a country not constituted by a particularly strong pre-Columbian culture and forged by European immigrants at the same time, the penetration of global trends has always been a determinant force in shaping local identity – especially from the 19th century onwards. Somewhere between this historical lack of cultural resistance and intelligence to appropriate up-to-date international trends, a very polished and non-conflictive environment emerged1 in the last couple of decades that has enabled Chile to become a suitable place, not only in economical and political terms, but for the very production of culture itself.
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