Defining Latin American Art

This bilingual book describes the numerous elements that have shaped the modernist art of Latin America. Beginning with the pre-Columbian cultures of Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean Islands, the values and symbols of these early civilizations have remained a constant in much of modernist art. The work gives a brief history of Latin American art, defines the modernist movements and trends that surfaced in Paris in the early twentieth century, and traces the way Latin American artists adapted the forms to express their own national culture. The main section is a list of significant artworks, each accompanied by biographical details from the artist's life, an explanation of the work's subject matter, and a discussion of the inspiration and meaning behind it. The work boasts a wide selection of illustrations, including a large color insert, and concludes with a bibliography.