Review
"Though rarely featured in the heavily European canon of the academic are history curriculum, Latin-American artists have long produced distinctive works of great originality....[t]his guide provides a wonderful introduction to 130 years of incredible art."-Lawrence Looks at Books
Product Description
A biographical dictionary presenting 75 of the most important and influential Latin American artists of the 20th and 21st centuries. Latin Americans have long been in the cultural background, obscured by the influences of the dominant European culture. This biographical dictionary, which presents 75 artists from the United States and 13 nations of Central and South America and the Caribbean, and includes painters, sculptors, photographers, performance artists, is a valuable addition to the study of Latin American culture. The artists profiled include reknowned figures such as Frida Kahlo, Tina Modotti, and Diego Rivera, as well as lesser-known artists who deserve a closer look, such as Myrna Baez, Raquel Forner, and Patrocino Barela. Each entry includes information about the artist's childhood, schooling, creative growth, and artistic styles and themes. Exemplary artworks are described, as are influences, and both popular and critical responses. This important work illuminates the many colorful traditions of Latin American art and reveals the role art plays in exploring issues of identity on the personal, political, and cultural levels. As the authors demonstrate in this biographical dictionary, there is no one neat, all-encompassing definition or description that can be applied to artists from Latin America. One thing that many artists in this book do share, though, is a heritage of conquest. Some artists recall pre-Columbian times, before the advent of European colonialism. Other artists confront the cultural imperialism of the United States over Latin America. At the same time, artists explore how the dominant elements of culture can affect identities of class, gender, and sexuality. Supplemental features include artist cross references, a glossary of essential terms from the art world, and a number of vivid photos that portray the artists in their creative environments.
