Latin American Artists of the Twentieth Century

Contains thirteen essays by art historians which discuss the styles of Latin American art in the twentieth century, and specific works by Latin American artists, and includes a brief biography of each artist

As this exhilarating survey reveals, Latin American artists assimilated cubism, surrealism, expressionism and other currents, creating wholly new forms that juggled a modern internationalist sensibility with a concern for individual and national identity. Documenting a recent exhibition at Manhattan's Museum of Modern Art, 14 scholars and critics discuss the biting political and social pictures of Mexican muralists Diego Rivera and Jose Clemente Orozco, Colombian satirist Fernando Botero's inflated prelates and prostitutes, Brazilian painter Tarsila do Amaral's poetic reordering of industrialized urban reality, the Uruguayan Joaquin Torres-Garcia's metaphysical synthesis of European modernism and pre-Columbian images, and 90 other artists. Pop and conceptual art, assemblage, neofiguration, and kinetic and optical abstraction all take new directions here in works of passion, imagination and political consciousness. Rasmussen is director of MOMA's International Program.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Modernism has flourished in many forms in the cultural diversity and political turmoil of Latin America. Surrealism and constructivism as well as abstract, Pop, and conceptional art have all evolved into species unique to the tropical aesthetics of this enormous region and the particular sensibilities and psyches of its artists. This profusely illustrated volume was published as part of an ambitious exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art. The text is made up of thirteen essays by art historians such as Dore Ashton, Fatima Bercht, and Elizabeth Ferrer who illuminate various styles of twentieth century Latin American art and the work of individual artists, including muralists Orozco and Rivera; the ebullient mystic watercolorist Xul Solar; the constructivist Joaqu{¡}in Torres-Garcia; and the earthy surrealist Tarsila do Amaral. The 357 plates (194 in color) display the work of more than 100 sculptors and painters that, taken together, effectively define modern art. For instance, there's the ripe, textured figurative paintings of Mar{¡}ia Izquierdo, the allegorical images of Rufino Tamayo, the spare and elegant sculptures of Jos{‚}e Resende, and the violent whirl of Matta. A biographical directory provides brief profiles of each artist. An invaluable and grand production. Donna Seaman