Latin American Art has such a unique and interesting qualities, however through much of my research I have found museums did not all agree until recently. Rebecca Hakins and Miguel Juarez wrote in Art Documentations that Latin art lacks funding to promote them, as well as minimal exhibit space and staff. I think this all a cover up for not seeing the importance of art. This also may have to do with the history of racism in the United States. 

Anne Marie Stock from the Sage Journal critiqued the Smithsonian Institute in particular for not representing Latin art at the museum. She makes it very clear that Latin art needs to be present but not just present, it needs to heighten cultural awareness. I think this is important because if people can relate to ones culture through art they will be more understanding and open minded.

Robin Pegrebin argues in the New York Times that Latin art is making a comeback. Pengrebin mentions many museums that have dedicated collections to Latin art recently. He says Latin art is growing in interest and its value and presence is more evident. "To Latin American art experts, the larger world is discovering what they have know all along: that the field is rich and worthy of attention." (Pegrebin, NewYork Times)

Even Richard C. Morais raves about Latin in Barron's. He said Latin art has earned more than $43 million in 2011 which was 4 times as much than in 2003. Latin art as well as all art is important to understanding culture and historical background, especially in California where there is a large Latin population. So lets see what all the fuss is about and look at some modern Latin art.

http://www.molaa.com/Art/Collection/Artist-Listing/Brooke-Alfaro.aspx

This first piece is shown at the Museum of Latin American Art (MOLAA). The artist is Brooke Alfaro from Panama. She presents a nude man sitting down holding a naked baby in his lap. Surrounding them is a their clothes on the floor and next to them is a small table with flowers and what looks like a news paper. On the walls there are paintings. The website describes the painting as though the man is kneading the child like dough. This piece is considered realism and was produced in 1949. 

http://www.molaa.com/Art/Collection/Artist-Listing/Byron-Mejia.aspx

This second piece show on the (MOLAA) is called Reposando en el vacio\resting in the void. Byron Mejia from Honduras created this piece with acrylic on canvas in 1978 and is said to represent the tragic side of humanity. The skeletons told by the website are suppose to represent greed and that people want money more than there own well being. I would not initially get that from this picture but it looks as though these skeletons are trapped except it looks as though there is a ladder. This gives me the assumption that they want to be there even though they are dying. The painting is very dark but obviously has deeper meaning than what is itnitally seen. 

http://www.molaa.com/Art/Collection/Artist-Listing/Mayra-Barraza.aspx

The last picture was drawn by El Salvadorian artist Mayra Barraza and is also from (MOLAA). She is from El Salvador and most of her drawings are about social issues on violence. This drawing is of a woman that looks like she is laying down…all you see is her head with nothing around it. On the MOLAA website it is said this is to represent violence and murder that goes on in El Salvador.  

WORK CITED 

• Hankins, Rebecca, and Miguel Juárez. "Art in Special Collections: Latino and African American Fine Art and Photography Collections in Academic Institutions.." Art Documentation. 29.1 (Spring2010): n. page. Web. 18 Mar. 2013.
• Representing the Nation: Latino Art at the Smithsonian Institution, Latin American Perspectives May 2012 39: 120-130, first published onDecember 27, 2011 doi:10.1177/0094582X11431806
• Pogrebin, R. (2011, Oct 23). Latin american art, rediscovered again. New York Times. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/900167429?accountid=10357
• Richard, C. Morais. "The Boom in Latin American Art." Barron's 91.49 (2011): 1-P4. ProQuest. Web. 14 Mar. 2013.

Latin American Art has such a unique and interesting qualities, however through much of my research I have found museums did not all agree until recently. Rebecca Hakins and Miguel Juarez wrote in Art Documentations that Latin art lacks funding to promote them, as well as minimal exhibit space and staff. I think this all a cover up for not seeing the importance of art. This also may have to do with the history of racism in the United States. 

Anne Marie Stock from the Sage Journal critiqued the Smithsonian Institute in particular for not representing Latin art at the museum. She makes it very clear that Latin art needs to be present but not just present, it needs to heighten cultural awareness. I think this is important because if people can relate to ones culture through art they will be more understanding and open minded.

Robin Pegrebin argues in the New York Times that Latin art is making a comeback. Pengrebin mentions many museums that have dedicated collections to Latin art recently. He says Latin art is growing in interest and its value and presence is more evident. "To Latin American art experts, the larger world is discovering what they have know all along: that the field is rich and worthy of attention." (Pegrebin, NewYork Times)

Even Richard C. Morais raves about Latin in Barron's. He said Latin art has earned more than $43 million in 2011 which was 4 times as much than in 2003. Latin art as well as all art is important to understanding culture and historical background, especially in California where there is a large Latin population. So lets see what all the fuss is about and look at some modern Latin art.

http://www.molaa.com/Art/Collection/Artist-Listing/Brooke-Alfaro.aspx

This first piece is shown at the Museum of Latin American Art (MOLAA). The artist is Brooke Alfaro from Panama. She presents a nude man sitting down holding a naked baby in his lap. Surrounding them is a their clothes on the floor and next to them is a small table with flowers and what looks like a news paper. On the walls there are paintings. The website describes the painting as though the man is kneading the child like dough. This piece is considered realism and was produced in 1949. 

http://www.molaa.com/Art/Collection/Artist-Listing/Byron-Mejia.aspx

This second piece show on the (MOLAA) is called Reposando en el vacio\resting in the void. Byron Mejia from Honduras created this piece with acrylic on canvas in 1978 and is said to represent the tragic side of humanity. The skeletons told by the website are suppose to represent greed and that people want money more than there own well being. I would not initially get that from this picture but it looks as though these skeletons are trapped except it looks as though there is a ladder. This gives me the assumption that they want to be there even though they are dying. The painting is very dark but obviously has deeper meaning than what is itnitally seen. 

http://www.molaa.com/Art/Collection/Artist-Listing/Mayra-Barraza.aspx

The last picture was drawn by El Salvadorian artist Mayra Barraza and is also from (MOLAA). She is from El Salvador and most of her drawings are about social issues on violence. This drawing is of a woman that looks like she is laying down…all you see is her head with nothing around it. On the MOLAA website it is said this is to represent violence and murder that goes on in El Salvador.