In August 2002, Dutch artist Matthijs de Bruijne arrives to Buenos Aires for the second time. He already knew that the social and economical situation had worsened, but the difference between how he had left it in January and how he found it was a shock to him. The devaluation of the peso, leading to a dramatic economic scenario: the country was bankrupt, unemployment had unprecedengly risen and poverty was visible everywhere - literally, everywhere.

The subway was populated with unemployed artists, deaf and blind, lamed war veterans and a nearly complete burned little girl. Again and again they tried to sell something or begged you for money. ‘No me margines’, ("Don't marginalize me") was printed on the articles they offered.
Matthijs de Bruijne lived in a decent area, let’s say rich, a lovely place for a wealthy artist from Amsterdam. But it was also an area where everyday, at the beginning of the evening another bizarre scene took place. Special trains drove into his neighbourhood, filled with people from the impoverished suburbs. They came, accompanied with carts and trolleys, to root in his trash. To look for some valuable material, usually paper and carton. They were called ‘cartoneros’.

Helped by the Estación Cultural Villa Urquiza he got in touch with them. He spent a lot of time together with the Urquiza cartoneros in the last months; they worked together and became friends. More and more de Bruijne came deeper into their world and again and again had to restrain his anger by seeing their everyday struggle. They are the ones who are paying the price for a failing government and the neo-liberal dogma.

At this moment, the economy of the country has improved. There is more money circulating, mainly money from foreign bank accounts of the rich. However, there are not that many changes for the cartoneros. At most there are more cartoneros, and because of that less paper for each person. The worst part of the crisis is not finished for them yet.

Liquidacion.org exhibits and sells whatever is left from 12 years of crisis: "Dreams and objects, fresh from the trash."