About Arts of Latin America

A chronological and thematic survey of the major themes and developments in the history of Latin American art, this course traces the evolution of visual culture over approximately four millennia. Organized into three parts, the course begins with the pre-Columbian period (1800 BC to AD 1492), moves into the years of European contact and conquest (AD 1492 to 1800), and concludes with an overview of modern and contemporary art across the Americas. You will learn to identify and describe works of art and discuss the broader historical and social contexts in which they were produced and circulated. The first part of the course will introduce you to the major artistic achievements and archaeological record of the ancient Mesoamerican and Andean cultures: monumental architecture, urban planning, painting, sculpture, and portable arts. The study of colonial art focuses on Mexico, Peru, and Brazil, introducing concepts of artistic hybridity and diversity, indigenous and national cultures, and transatlantic encounters and exchange. Turning finally to the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, the course considers artistic production in such avant-garde city-centers as Mexico City, Buenos Aires, and Sao Paulo. Throughout the course, you will consider thematic questions relating to the expression of Latin American identities, the relationships between art, religion, and politics, and the nature of "non-Western" art. Building on the foundations of the Core Program, Arts of Latin America offers a focused survey of art that is often excluded from conventional canons of the field. If you are familiar with Western Art History, this course will expose you to a fascinating, parallel history of art that challenges and enriches your knowledge of how art evolved globally over time.