Documents of 20Th-Century Latin American and Latino Art a DIGITAL ARCHIVE and PUBLICATIONS PROJECT at the MUSEUM of FINE ARTS, HOUSTON
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International Center for the Arts of the Americas at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston Documents of 20th-century Latin American and Latino Art A DIGITAL ARCHIVE AND PUBLICATIONS PROJECT AT THE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS, HOUSTON ICAA Record ID: 1065622 Access Date: 2017-08-18 Bibliographic Citation: Mosquera, Gerardo. “From Latin American Art to Art from Latin America.” ArtNexus (Bogotá, Colombia), no. 48 (April- June 2003): 70- 74. WARNING: This document is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. Reproduction Synopsis: or downloading for personal Gerardo Mosquera considers the usefulness of the idea of Latin American art, ultimately taking a use or inclusion of any portion firm position against it as it has been understood up to now. He begins by describing Latin of this document in another work intended for commercial American culture’s “neurosis of identity” as the inevitable result of its complex history of cultural purpose will require permission and ethnic intermingling, colonialism, and oppositional relationships with Europe and the United from the copyright owner(s). States. Mosquera warns of the “traps” into which Latin American art is apt to fall with the ADVERTENCIA: Este docu- globalization of art and culture, even though, thanks to globalization it is increasingly visible in mento está protegido bajo la ley de derechos de autor. Se the so-called mainstream. In this context, Latin American art that insists on its identity as such is reservan todos los derechos. in jeopardy of, among other things, 1) becoming a postmodern “cliché,” 2) being seen as Su reproducción o descarga derivative of art produced in Western centers, and 3) of “self-exoticism.” Instead, Mosquera para uso personal o la inclusión de cualquier parte de este argues that Latin American artists should be understood as part of what he calls a “third scene,” documento en otra obra con in which difference and displacement is accepted as an inherent aspect of globalization. Artists propósitos comerciales re- in Latin America have furthermore, he argues, been forced to produce art “on the rebound,” querirá permiso de quien(es) detenta(n) dichos derechos. responding to mainstream ways of making art with results that ultimately transform the very Please note that the layout frameworks of the mainstream. In conclusion, Mosquera calls for more “horizontal” contact of certain documents on this between Latin American countries, and characterizes the most relevant contemporary art of website may have been modi- Latin America as that which has participated in “. the global development of . a minimal and fied for readability purposes. In such cases, please refer to conceptual international, postmodern language.” the first page of the document for its original design. Por favor, tenga en cuenta que el diseño de ciertos documentos en este sitio web pueden haber sido modificados para mejorar su legibilidad. En estos casos, consulte la primera página del documento para ver International Center for the Arts of the Americas | The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston el diseño original. P.O. Box 6826, Houston, TX 77265-6826 | http://icaadocs.mfah.org From Latin American Art to Art from Latin America al entity misnamed Latin America is maintained, but problematical. Mu- dimbe's question, "What is Africa?"4 is increasingly valid if we transfer it to our region. What is Latin America? It is, among other things, an invention that we can reinvent. pi The generalized continuance of this recognition may appear strange, since I ...1.....1. r we as Latin Americans have always --,,A asked ourselves who we really are. It is I _Pry f,it Z74''-...:,''' difficult to know given the multiplicity of components in our ethno-genesis, the 1 complex processes of creolization and hybridization, and the presence of large groups of indigenous peoples who are excluded or only partially integrated into postcolonial nationalities. We have to add the impact of vast immigrations of Europeans and Asians throughout II the twentieth century, and the strong emigrations within the continent and Wilfredo Prieto. Apolitic, 2001. Black and white flags and flagpoles. Variable dimensions. toward the United States and Europe, principally in the final part of that cen- GERARDO MOSQUERAwhy do we not do so with indigenoustury and until today. Such an intricate peoples north of the Rio Grande? Isplot is further complicated by a very Culture in Latin America has sufferedwhat we call Latin America part of theearly colonial history, somewhere be- from a neurosis of identity that is notWest or the non-West? Does this con-tween the medieval and renaissance completely cured, and of which this texttradict both, emphasizing the schema-eras, with, from the outset, a permanent forms a part, be it in opposition. I couldtization of such notions? In any case,and massive settlement of Iberians and attest to it when in 1996 I published antoday the United States, with more thanAfricans. At the same time, and as a re- article entitled El arte latinoamericanothirty million inhabitants of "Hispan-sult of the pressure to enhance or to deja de serlo (Latin American Art Ceasesic" origin, is without doubt one of thebuild identities of resistance in the face to be Latin American Art),' which pro-most actively Latin American countries.of Europe and United States, we have voked strong reactions. Nevertheless,Given the migratory boom and thebeen inclined to define a Latin Ameri- by the end of the 1970s Federico Mo-growth rate of the "Hispanic" popula-can self by means of all-encompassing rais had linked our identity obsessiontion (migration without movement), ingeneralizations, which have coexisted with colonialism, and proposed a "plu-a not so distant future, the U.S. maywith the fragmentation imposed by na- ral, diverse, and multifaceted" idea ofcome to have the third largest Spanish-tionalisms. There are many answers to the continent,2 a product of its multi-speaking population, after Mexico andthe question, perhaps not yet well out- plicity of origin. Yet the very notions ofSpain. In some stores in Miami there arelined, of whether we are Western or not, Latin America and Iberoamerica havesigns that say "English Spoken." African or not. Our labyrinths have con- always been very problematic. Do they Nevertheless, just as the idea of Af-fused or intoxicated us. We are now include the Dutch and Anglo Caribbe-rica is considered by some African in-beginning to situate ourselves more an? Chicanos? Do they embrace indig-tellectuals to be a colonial invention,within the fragment, juxtaposition, and enous peoples who often do not eventhe idea of Latin America has not yetcollage, accepting our diversity at the speak European languages? If we rec-been discarded.3 The self-conscious-same time as our contradictions. The ognize the latter as Latin Americans,ness of belonging to a historical-cultur-danger is that of coining, against mod- 70ARTNEXus 1065622 This electronic version © 2015 ICAA | MFAH [2/6] ESSAY One could outline a historical perspective that runs perhaps from "provincial European art" to "derivative art" to "Latin American art" to "art in Latin America" to "art from Latin America." I do not refer to the character of this production in different historical moments, but to the prevalent epistemologies. The last of these terms emphasizes on the active participation of art in "international" circuits and languages. ernist totalizations, a postmodern clichéa result, some artists are inclined towardspractice that does not by necessity of Latin America as a realm ofheteroge- "otherizing" themselves, in a paradox ofshow its context, and that on occasion neity.5 On the other hand, pluralism canself-exoticism, which becomes increas-refers to art itself. This corresponds to become a prison without walls. Borgesingly indirect and sophisticated. Thethe increase of new international cir- told the story of the best labyrinth: theparadox is still more apparent if we askcuits that are slowly overcoming the immensurable amplitude of the desert,ourselves why the "Other" is alwayspseudo-internationalism of the main- from which it is difficult to escape. Plu-ourselves, never them. Self-exoticism re-stream. The consolidation of this ralism in the abstract, or controlled byveals a hegemonic structure, but also the"third" scene is part and parcel of the the self-decentralized centers, maypassivity of the artist, of being compla-processes of globalization. In this way, weave a labyrinth of indeterminationcent at all costs, or at most indicates aartists from Latin America, like those that limits the possibilities of a sociallyscant initiative. Moreover, this has beenof Africa or Southeast Asia, have be- and culturally active diversification.perpetrated by local positions that con-gun, slowly and yet increasingly, to Borges can perhaps offer us another key:front foreign intrusion. I refer to nation-exhibit, publish, and exercise influence upon conclusion of the obligation ofalist mythologies where a traditionalist drawing each and every one of our di-cult of the "roots" is expressed, suppos- Jorge Macchi. Intimacy, 2001. Installation. versities, perhaps only a portrait of eachedly protecting against foreign interfer- 74 3/4 x 11 3/4x 3 in. (190 x 30 x 8 cm.). draftsman will appear. ences, and the romantic idealization of Courtesy: Galeria Luisa Strina. Another trap is the assumption thatconventions about history and the val- Latin American art is simply derivativeues of the nation. Frequently nationalis- of the Western centers, without consid-tic folklorism is to a large extent used or ering its complicated relationship in themanipulated by power to rhetoricize a gra more and more problematic notion ofso-called integrated, participative na- West. Frequently the works are not evention. In this way the real exclusion of looked at: passports are requested be-popular strata, especially that of indige- forehand, and baggage is checked un-nous peoples, is disguised. This situation rPrifiErBOWilit der the suspicion of contraband fromthus circumscribes art within ghettoized New York, London, or Berlin.