In 1884, the famous painter Juan Manuel Blanes, from Uruguay, is asked to create a portrait of José Artigas. There is only one drawing of his face, done in his old age so Blanes must imagine what he looked like by reading up on his ideas and learning about his life.

La nube de Magallanes, es un cúmulo de personajes, de narraciones, antinarraciones, de referencias literarias y musicales, de seres míticos y de locaciones fantasmales. Adriana explora el cielo con prismáticos, en espera de Teseo, mientras un niño Ícaro desciende y deja sus alas, para sumarse a una proyección de cine al aire libre en la costa de Montevideo.