Art Appreciation October 2014 Latin American Art A Trip Around the World

1 st Stop: Latin America Charlotte, NC #1: Latin America Modern Latin America is made up of 22 countries stretching from the southern border of the US to the tip of South America; includes the Caribbean

Latin American Art Pre-Columbian Period  Pre-Columbian literally means the time preceding Christopher Columbus’s voyages of 1492  Includes remarkable civilizations such as the Olmec, Maya, Inca, and Aztec  Art typically inspired by spiritual concerns and war with neighboring cultures LaVenta Monument 1 - Colossal Head, Before 900 BC Artisans unknown Sculpted from Basalt Boulder Parque LaVenta, Villahermosa, Mexico This is one of 17 remaining “Colossal Heads” created by the Olmec, the mysterious 1 st great culture of Latin America Each stand around 8 feet high and weighs over 20 tons Historians still debate whether the heads were modeled after Olmec Rulers or conquered enemies

Maya civilization was one of the richest, most advanced, and most populated on the globe by 500 AD Known for their stelae, which are monuments of tall sculpted stone shafts often placed near round altars Stelae often depicted Mayan rulers disguised as gods The largest ever found is over 34 feet high and weighs 65 tons Stela 51, 731 A.D. Limestone From Calakmul, Mexico Depicts king Yuknoon Took’ K’awiil Stela A, 732 A.D. Sculpted from Volcanic Tuff From Copan in Honduras Latin American Art Pre-Columbian Period

Latin American Art Pre-Columbian Architecture The Inca city of Machu Picchu sits 8,000 feet above sea level and is surrounded on 3 sides by cliffs. The 4 th side is a mountain Built over 550 years ago with dry- stone technique. Rocks were cut to fit together so perfectly no mortar is required to hold them together. Successfully built to withstand frequent earthquakes Includes 140 buildings and 100 flights of stone steps Machu Picchu is Peru’s most visited tourist attraction and South America’s most famous ruins, welcoming hundreds of thousands of people a year Inca City of Machu Picchu, constructed around 1450 Machupicchu District, Peru Stone walls at Manchu Picchu were constructed without the use of draft animals, iron tools or wheels.

Latin American Art Colonial Period – Indochristian Art  The arrival of the Spanish to Latin America beginning in 1492 almost completely wiped out the indigenous population. (Many were conquered, but even more died of diseases brought by the Europeans; mainly smallpox)  Native culture was largely forbidden and countless works of art and early literature were destroyed  Europeans introduced their religious beliefs and art techniques  The mixture of indigenous artistic styles and European painting techniques led to a distinctive style of Latin American art known as Indochristian The Legend of Santa Sophronia, Late 17 th Century Circle of Diego Quispe Tito Oil on canvas Brooklyn Museum

Latin American Art Colonial Period – Indochristian Art Reds, yellows, and gold leaf were popular in Indochristian art – very different from the more subdued paintings with similar subjects being produced in Europe at the time. The Divine Shepherdess, c Anonymous artist from Quito, Ecuador Oil on canvas Private Collection La Pascua de María, 1698 (Easter Mary) Juan Correa Oil on canvas Private Collection

Latin American Art Gaining Independence  Beginning in the early 1800’s Latin American countries began to fight for and win independence from Spanish and Portuguese rule.  Art was often used to promote political and social change and establish national pride  This painting depicts the death of Atanasio Girardot of Columbia, a hero killed by Spanish troops while trying to raise the national flag during the Battle of Bárbula territory (present day Venezuela) The Death of Girardot in Bárbula, 1883 Cristóbal Rojas Oil on Canvas Bolivarian Museum of Caracas

Latin American Art Gaining Independence El Pan Nuestro (Our Daily Bread), 1905 Ramón Frade Oil on canvas Institute of Puerto Rican Culture, San Juan, Puerto Rico After 400 years of Spanish colonial rule, Puerto Rico won independence Only months later is was claimed as a territory by the US and remains so today; the transition was difficult for most – especially the poor This painting shows a jibaro (hee-VAH-roe), a farmer who works on the land The painting title refers to the plantains the jibaro carries because this fruit was eaten by most Puerto Ricans every day, often at every meal

Latin American Art Modern Style – A Glimpse of the Past Contemporary Latin American often incorporates its rich artistic history – especially that of the native cultures This enlarged portion from the lower left side of a mural painted in 1942 shows ancient Toltec artisans carving a stela Unión de la Expresión Artistica del Norte y Sur de este Continente, 1940 (Marriage of Artistic Expression of North and of South on this Continent) Diego Rivera Al fresco on ten steel-framed panels City College of San Francisco

Latin American Art Modern Style – A Glimpse of the Past Peligro de Cortar Flores y Bajar Barriletes del Día de los Difuntos, 2004 (Danger in Picking Flowers and Bringing Down Kites on the Day of the Dead) Diego Isaías Hernández Méndez Oil on canvas Collection of Charles Davey This contemporary Maya folk artist describes his work as pinturas polulares, (paintings of the people) and uses art to help preserve ancient traditions His use of bright colors and repeated shapes are similar to those found in ancient Maya weavings The Day of the Dead is a popular holiday in Mexico and many other countries. It is spent celebrating deceased relatives; its origins can be traced back to an indigenous Azetc festival

Art Appreciation - A Trip Around the World Next Stop: AFRICA Charlotte, NC #1: Latin America #2: Africa