Latin America in Art History and CriticismBeyond the Fantastic: Contemporary Art Criticism from Latin America by Gerardo Mosquera;Contemporary Latin American Artists: Exhibitions at the Organization of American States,1941-1964 by Annick Sanjurjo; Latin American Art in the Twentieth Century by EdwardSullivanReview by: Holly J. BarnetArt Journal, Vol. 58, No. 1 (Spring, 1999), pp. 97-99Published by: College Art AssociationStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/777894 .

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Latin America in Art

History and Criticism

Holly J. Barnet

Gerardo Mosquera, ed. Beyond the Fantastic: Contemporary Art Criticism

from Latin America. London: Institute of

International Visual Arts and Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press, 1996. Essays by Nestor

Garcia Canclini, Andrea Giunta, Paulo

Herkenhoff, Mirko Lauer, Ticio Escobar, Pierre E. Bocquet, Mosquera, Nelly Richard, Luis Camnitzer, Tomas Ybarra-

Frausto, Guillermo G6mez-Pefia, George

Yuidice, Carolina Ponce de Le6n, Mari Carmen Ramirez, M6nica Amor, Celeste

Olalquiaga, Gabriel Peluffo Linari, and

Gustavo Buntix. 343 PP., I5 color ills,

31 b/w. $25 paper.

Annick Sanjurjo. Contemporary Latin American Artists: Exhibitions at the Organization ofAmerican States, 1941-1964. Lanham, Md.: Scarecrow

Press, 997. 50o6 pp., i b/w ill. $75.

Edward Sullivan, ed. Latin American Art in the Twentieth Century. London: Phaidon, 1996. Essays by Teresa del Conde, Monica Kupfer, Giulio Blanc and Gerardo

Mosquera, Jeanette Miller, Enrique Garcia-

Gutierrez, Rina Carvajal, Ivonne Pini, Lenin

Ofia, Natalia Majluf, Ivo Mesquita, Pedro

Querejazu, Ticio Escobar, Alicia Haber, Marcelo Pacheco, Milan Ivelic, and Victor

Zamudio-Taylor. 352 pp., 300 color ills.,

Io b/w. $69.95.

Everyone who teaches, conducts research, and curates exhibitions of modern Latin

American art knows what a pressing need

exists for art historical scholarship and con-

temporary art criticism within the field.

Professors also require access to writings

by Latin American critics and scholars in

English translation for many of our stu- dents. Over the past several years, begin- ning in the late eighties, there has been a

proliferation of substantial (if often contro-

versial) exhibitions accompanied by hefty catalogues that provide the most readily available source of scholarship on Latin American art in English. Journals such as

Third Text and Art Nexus present other venues

for current writing, and the Winter 1992 issue of Art Journal devoted itself to Latin

American art history and criticism. How-

ever, so far no one has published a single

comprehensive text on the history of mod-

ern Latin American art that could be used

in survey, upper-division, or graduate-level courses. Just such a comprehensive history

by Jacqueline Barnitz, professor of Latin

American art history at the University of

Texas, Austin, is forthcoming from the

University of Texas Press.

Granted, this is a young field, and

there are few university programs in this

country where modern Latin American art

history is taught in any systematic fashion.

However, more universities and colleges are at least providing introductory courses, and now a handful offer graduate programs in the study of modern and contemporary Latin American art. In other words, there

is a real academic market for both general and more specialized publications in the

field.

Precisely because this is a relatively new area of study, much basic research has

yet to be undertaken on the history of art in many countries in Central and South

America and the Caribbean. There are sub-

stantial gaps in our knowledge, particularly of the nineteenth century. However, in the

late nineties there is also the more general question of whether a survey of Latin

American art would, in fact, be desirable.

We have wrestled in our discipline for the

last two decades with the usefulness, or

lack thereof, of the classic survey texts such as Janson and Gardner, as well as more recent additions to that genre. Are mono-

vocal metahistories valid any longer? The

proliferating anthologies of historically sig- nificant critical, theoretical, historical, and

analytical readings in European and U.S. art history seem to be filling a pedagogical need to provide students (and scholars) with writings that cover the breadth and

depth of our discipline. This is especially necessary when we confront the variety of discourses embedded in any discussion of modernism and postmodernism in Latin America. Multiculturalism, postcolonialism, the Third World, and center vs. periphery, all of which represent significant aspects

of the debates on Latin American art, are

perhaps better approached by a number

of scholars and critics rather than by any

single individual.

Yet another factor must be considered

when thinking about Latin American art

history. It is the relationship between artis-

tic practice in Mexico, Central and South

America, and the Caribbean, as well as the

work of emigre artists in the United States,

Europe, or elsewhere and the work of

Latino artists in the United States. The

very category "Latino" is heavily overdeter-

mined, politically loaded, and not neces-

sarily generally accepted, although it is

less problematic than "Hispanic." Latino

brings together a highly disparate group of

Mexican Americans, Chicanos, Puertorique. The very category "Latino" is heavily over-

determined, politically loaded, and not

necessarily generally accepted, although it

is less problematic than "Hispforeigners or exiles. They are from the United States, and their outlooks are substantially differ-

ent from those who are emigres or those who work in their countries of origin in Latin America. How do we bring these artists together for pedagogical, curatorial, or scholarly purposes. And should we?

Connected to, and yet distinct from, these not yet well researched or under- stood relationships is the fundamental, and

much debated, question of whether there is a Latin American art beyond any obvious

geographical designation. Is there a sensi-

bility or set of parameters by which we can define what is Latin American in the visual arts? What are the shared values and practices of Mexico, Cuba, Nicaragua, Argentina, Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil,

Chile, etc., beside that which is part of the

international discourses of modernism and

postmodernism? Are there entirely distinct

sets of problematic issues about which we can write, such as the phenomenon of Indigenismo, the complex relationships between fine art, folk art, and popular cul-

ture, or the continuing engagement in art with colonial and postcolonial constructs? And this is to cite but three issues shared

by a number of Latin American countries. In fact, does each country even embrace or function within those international dis-

courses of modernism and postmodernism

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in the same manner? Or to put it another

way, what is the impact of Latin American art on our understanding (s) of those dis- courses? These are some of the critical issues that presently engage historians and critics as we work to create and define our field. This area of study is not yet rigidly fixed, with no firm canon (so far) that must be broken open or completely shat- tered. But there is certainly a body of known artists from each country whose innovative works have already made a sig- nificant mark. Their contributions have

substantially affected international develop- ments in the arts or our understanding of those histories, and their works are widely known, in some cases, because of the bur-

geoning art market of the eighties and the

proliferation of international exhibitions.

However, scholars, historians, and critics still possess the remarkable potential to create a noncanonical art history if we so choose.

The three books under consideration here each represent a different approach to art historical/art critical materials and issues. Two of them, Beyond the Fantastic:

Contemporary Art Criticism from Latin America, edited by the Cuban critic and curator Gerardo Mosquera, and Latin American Art in the Twentieth Century, edited by the art histo- rian and chair of the Department of Art

History at New York University, Edward J. Sullivan, are multivocal anthologies of texts

by Latin American and Latino/Chicano critics and scholars. Mosquera has pulled together a selection of essays, most previ- ously published, from a variety of sources,

ranging from theoretical and methodolog- ical treatises and critiques of exhibition

practices to studies of specific artists or art forms. As the title suggests, these essays constitute criticism about contemporary art. Sullivan, initially approached to write a book about Latin American art history, diplomatically suggested that the public would be better served if it had the oppor- tunity to read about the art of the various countries by native scholars and critics. As

such, he specifically commissioned all of the authors included in his book. Contem-

porary Latin American Artists: Exhibitions at the

Organization of American States, 1941-1964, com-

piled and edited by Annick Sanjurjo, the

former archivist for the Museum of Modern Latin American Art at the Organization of American States in Washington, D.C., is the second volume of a two-volume reference work documenting all the OAS exhibitions of Latin American artists from 1941 to

1985. All of these books are limited to the twentieth century. (The nineteenth century remains arguably the most underexamined

period in Latin American art history, from the pre-Columbian and colonial eras to the

present.)

Beyond the Fantastic presents the reader with a rich, diverse, and carefully balanced collection of essays by critics, scholars, curators, and artists. Divided into six sec- tions-Continental Divisions, "Other"

Modernities, Feminism and Periphery, Contextualizing Multiculturalism, Out of the Mainstream, and Realignments of Cultural Power-this book encompasses most of the debates surrounding contem-

porary visual art practices in Latin America and several in the Latino United States. As the title suggests, this compilation seeks to

go beyond categorical stereotypes of Latin American art developed in large measure

by U.S. and European scholars and curators. This volume, whose title is taken from the

insightful essay by the art historian and curator Mari Carmen Ramirez, could pro- vide the basis for an entire seminar in con-

temporary art that includes not only art

practice and the construction of its discur- sive field, but also those tricky relationships between Latin American artists working at

home, emigre artists, and Latino commun- ities of the United States. Although the

writing is uneven and sometimes inacces- sible (Nelly Richard's essays are both con-

ceptually and linguistically dense but worth the necessary work to get through), each

essay makes a substantive contribution. And each supplies a jumping-off point for further thought and research as well

as a point of departure for discussion and

argument. Mosquera has written a thoughtful

introduction that puts the contributions into context and provides the reader with a sense of the historical changes in the discourse. This discourse begins with the sixties and the influential writings of the

Argentine critic and curator Marta Traba,

most of whose work needs to be translated into English to reach a wider audience in the United States, up to the most recent theoretical and conceptual constructs. He further connects the changes or shifts that have occurred in art critical thought to the sometimes momentous social, political, economic, national, regional, and continen- tal upheavals of the past thirty-five years.

Latin American Art in the Twentieth Century is an admirable, if flawed, attempt to present a great amount of material to a largely unfamiliar audience. Therein lies the basic

problem, not only with this book, but also for those of us who are working in this field. Many people who will read Latin American Art or take an introductory course on this topic are almost totally unaware of most of the movements, artists, and major or paradigmatic works of art of the past century. Except for Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, Matta, Wifredo Lam, and now,

arguably, Tarsila do Amaral or Ana

Mendieta, most of these artists are un- known to those who are not students of

the field. Many artists will be introduced to them by name, period, and stylistic con-

tribution in this book, but readers won't

necessarily learn what their artwork looks

like, or much else beyond that basic intro-

ductory level.

Setting forth the purpose of the book in his introduction, Sullivan writes that it

"presents a panoramic view of its subject in a series of essays. . . . Each of these arti-

cles is written by one of the leading schol-

ars in their respective areas. The essays are

straightforward and informative. They will

be useful for those persons who have had

fairly little exposure to Latin American art

and who are searching for an introduction to the complexities of the many styles, movements and genres that have developed there throughout the twentieth century. The expert in the field will also encounter in this volume a broad compendium of

information which is difficult, if not

impossible, to find in one place" (8). In

many respects, this book achieves its stated

purpose, and if one considers it as a refer- ence tool, a sort of encyclopedia, the very

beginning of an introduction to this area, to be used in conjunction with substantive critical and art historical writings, it is

98 SPRING 1999

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indeed useful. Given its role as an intro-

duction to styles, movements, and genres, the value of this text would have been

enhanced had more exemplary works of

art been illustrated (with 300 color illustra-

tions, my complaint may sound greedy). With notable exceptions, these essays do

not provide a sense of the contentiousness

of much of the art that is discussed, of its

polemical nature, nor do they explore the

visual and verbal debates on the nature of

the postcolonial and hybrid experiences (to name only two of the most predominant) embedded in Latin American art, whether

it is abstract or figurative, regardless of the

medium. The best chapters, those on Cuba,

Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, and Uruguay, focus on the most paradigmatic artists and

provide more in-depth and critical analyses of historical and art historical develop- ments. The first chapter, "Mexico," by the art historian and museum director Teresa del Conde, is not only indicative of the immense art production in Mexico over

the past ninety years, but, perhaps more

significantly, attests to its relatively thor-

ough documentation by both Mexican and

foreign scholars. The inclusion of the final chapter on

Chicano art by the art historian Victor

Zamudio-Taylor, while informative, pre- sents the reader with a quandary. Unlike the section in Beyond the Fantastic entitled

Contextualizing Multiculturalism-in which Chicano art is placed within a particular discursive framework grounding it in the

United States-while also examining other Latino art and transnational practice in a series of four essays, neither Sullivan nor

Zamudio-Taylor explains why Chicano art should be included in a book on Latin American art that is clearly organized on

the basis of geography. While some Puerto Rican and Cuban artists living and working in the United States are included in the

chapters on those countries, the contribu-

tors make no effort to address the broader

issue of Latino art. Although more publica- tions about the Chicano art movement are

always welcome, this one seems out of

place, particularly without justification for

inclusion from both the editor and the

author.

In some ways, the frustration one

experiences in reading this book repre- sents a microcosm of the difficulties one

encounters in the field of Latin American

art history. To begin with, the book tries

to cover an enormous and, in some senses, an as yet unknown territory (certainly un-

known to the general public). To cover the

entire region in one volume is almost an

impossible undertaking. Also, the book's

country-by-country organization makes it

difficult for readers to get a sense of what international exchange has taken place

beyond the influence of the Mexican Revolution. However, its limitations not-

withstanding, this is a valuable book in

many respects. Within at least a minimal

context, it introduces artists well known in

their countries but who do not necessarily have visibility in the United States. The

bibliographies for each chapter are sub-

stantial and, even with the frustration of too few, often small, and sometimes dark

reproductions, the works of art included

provide a sense of the enormity and vari-

ety of artistic production throughout the Southern Hemisphere. If one is able to

encompass-or even see beyond-the vast

compilation of isms presented here, it is

possible to comprehend the beginnings of an idea of both the significant differences in the development of modernity and post- modernity throughout Latin America and some of the connecting threads that might be seen to constitute an art that crosses national boundaries to create a series of visual identities that could be termed Latin American.

Contemporary Latin American Artists: Exhibi- tions at the Organization of American States,

1941-i965, represents a major archival

effort that scholars of specific artists, coun-

tries, museums, and other institutional

practices will find extremely helpful. Organized chronologically by exhibition,

artists' biographical information is provid- ed, and listings of all the works in each

exhibition are included, as are catalogues

or press release texts. There is also an Index

of Artists and an Index of Exhibitions by

Country. Such basic information is some-

times virtually impossible to come by otherwise. In addition to its face value as a

documentary resource, this book provides

an opportunity to examine the history of

Latin American exhibitions in Washington, D.C., the study of which would be useful

to the understanding of inter-American

cultural relations over a crucial forty-year

period. Mosquera's and Sullivan's anthologies

are particularly valuable because the

authors included are Latin American or

Latino. Their internal perspectives give us

the opportunity to sense what at least some

of the significant movements and debates

are. What would benefit the discipline now

would be a concerted effort to publish in

translation the body of art critical and his-

torical writings that has come out of Latin America in the twentieth century. A project such as this is long overdue.

Holly J. Barnet is assistant professor of Latin American and Chicana/o art history at the Uni-

versity of New Mexico, Albuquerque, and has curated exhibitions and written articles about Chicana/o and Mexican art.

99 art journal

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