Never stop questioning the notion of “Latin American Art” as a construct of the Western art canon, that yet again follows the colonial expectations of a South meant to satisfy the Liberal fantasy of a multicultural world that overlooks the violence that lies under that term of perpetual contradiction.

“Even the notions of Latin America and Iberoamerica have always been very problematic. Do they include the English-speaking Caribbean and the Dutch-speaking Caribbean? The Chicanos? Do they cover indigenous peoples who sometimes do not even speak European languages? If we recognize the latter as Latin Americans, why not do it with the indigenous peoples in the Rio Grande? What we call Latin America is part of the West or of the Non-West? Does it contradict both, highlighting the schematism of such notions?”
— Gerardo Mosquera, “Contra el arte latinoamericano”, UNAM-Instituto de Investigaciones Estéticas, n.d., 20.

ESP
Nunca dejar de cuestionar la noción de “Arte latinoamericano” como una construcción del cánon del arte occidental, que una vez más sigue las expectativas coloniales de un Sur destinado a satisfacer la fantasía liberal de un mundo multicultural que pasa por alto la violencia que subyace en dicho término de contradicción perpetua.

“Aún las nociones mismas de América Latina e Iberoamérica siempre han sido muy problemáticas. ¿Incluyen al Caribe anglófono y al holandés? ¿A los chicanos? ¿Abarcan a los pueblos indígenas que a veces ni hablan lenguas europeas? Si reconocemos a estos últimos como latinoamericanos, ¿por qué no hacerlo con los pueblos indígenas al norte del Río Grande? ¿Lo que llamamos América Latina forma parte de Occidente o de No Occidente? ¿Acaso contradice a ambos, resaltando el esquematismo de tales nociones?”
— Gerardo Mosquera, “Contra el arte latinoamericano”, UNAM-Instituto de Investigaciones Estéticas, s.f., 20.

Drips of paint falling across a canvas, erased charcoal, or a fingerprint left on a sculpture, all are lasting evidence of the human touch. Nuances both subtle and pronounced capture the handmade, one-of-a-kind essence of an artist’s work. This visceral visibility is what made Margaret Kilgallen’s large-scale paintings feel so personal. “My hand will always be imperfect, because it’s human,” mused Kilgallen. Remnants of human activity are also what steeps graffiti with intrigue for Barry McGee, acting as “a presence of other people doing things” on the fringe of society. 

A freehand approach, while natural for some, can be equally challenging. Marcel Dzama admits that “if paint dripped across my drawing I would try to incorporate it,” whereas Raymond Pettibon, with whom Dzama frequently collaborates, “would just leave the drops.” Drawing from an array of practices, this collection of films explores the organic nature of artists whose work is marked by the human touch. 

With summer recess comes the chance to catch up on the essentials. While students are handed a list of must-read texts, consider this playlist a primer of must-see contemporary art. A swirl of low-brow humor, bold color, sculpture, performance, and reoriented historical context, each of these artists has influenced the discourse of contemporary art. “We do create the reality in which we live,” declared James Turrell, a vanguard of the Light and Space movement, and whose work continues to inform today’s visual artists and popular culture at large. For Luchita Hurtado, considered an emerging artist at 98 years old, her body of work celebrates motherhood, mother nature, and memory—a sincere introspection of lived experience. 

Artists “invent strategies that allow themselves to see in a way that they haven’t seen before to extend their vision,” mused Richard Serra. Whether you’re on summer break or simply in a summer state of mind, this selection of artists will inspire you to discover the great potential of contemporary art.