Artistic Expressions In Latin America
Latin American Art is a poetic flow of the brilliant minds of South American, Caribbean, Mexican as well as other Latin American artists. Its root was found in the prosaic rituals and the religious festivals that so beautifully portrayed its forms and expressions amongst its people. The artistic blend of American, African and the European cultures have resulted in some of the most profound artistic expressions that affect reverence amongst historians and academicians even today.
Christianity had an noticeable impact of the expressions of the west, with due regards to the teachings of Augustine the Hippo, Francis and Dominic, this led to the imagery commonly known as the Arte Indocristiano, their art was also an expression of ideas borrowed from Spanish, Portuguese and Baroque from the French. After the initial borrowings of ideas, commonly known as Euro centrism, the Latin Americans started to bring forth their own uniqueness from dribs, palettes and pens, and were heavily inspired by Vladimir Tatlin's constructivism that had emanated from Russia. Artists such as Manuel Rendon and Garcia are the pioneers in bringing the movement to Latin America.
This was soon followed by another artistic movement called Muralismo which had its inception right at Latin America itself. However this movement brought forth only the creativities of its tributaries such as Mexican and Columbian Muralism. Many notable artists include Jose Venturelli, Jose Clemente and Martinez Delgado who represented Columbia. This phase was also marked by stark rise of artistic exhibition amongst the women, not to mention Frida Kahlo who's the best known female artist known for autobiographical portraits and mirroring the cultures and traditions of Mexico with an artful combination of styles such as Realism, Symbolism and surrealism.
A special word for Mexican Muralism is due, as the Mexican authors of art experienced, commanded and influenced a wave of respect amongst their peers more than their contemporaries. Luis Camnitzer in his book "On art, artists, Latin America, and other utopias" mentions that postcolonial cultural theories tended emphasize ideas like mestizaje, anthropophagy, and hybridity. He also notes that Pop art was the lens for looking at the strange entity of thriving art market.
In the field of music, we can draw insights from the "Selenidad" a book written by Deborah Paradez which so beautifully contrasts the after effects of the death of Tejana style of music, the evolution was Latin Music was catalyzed by Spanish Christians and moors, which were complemented by adaptation of Moorish instruments and highly nasal pitched songs. Popular music styles that dominated the Latin American empire include Tango, and Argentine Rock. Many popular movements of this period include "The Argentine Movement" and the Nieva Cancion which had its inception in 1960's and was stunned by Chilean coup d'etat wherein most musicians were arrested and killed.
Given its discrepancies and imitations that Latin American art had survived even till today and has given the world many inspirational works for awe and admiration, many musical styles though have elapsed those that remain shall continue to exuberate inspiration amongst the coming generation.
