Throughout history, art has inspired, soothed and called people to action. Twentieth century art is no different. Therefore, this month’s newsletter is a review of some of the literary, artistic and cinematographic figures from Latin America who have shaped culture through their expression.
Frida Kahlo (1907-1954) is one of Mexico’s most famous female artists. She did not always aspire to be an artist, however. Only after a serious bus accident when she was eighteen did she begin to teach herself to paint. Now, she is internationally respected for her self-portraits, which use brilliant colors. One of Kahlo's earliest supporters was her husband, Diego Rivera (1886-1957), a trained artist whose dramatic murals are said to have revived fresco painting in Latin America. His murals are also noted for their bold use of color, but unlike his wife's personal portraits, his work focuses on depicting broad themes in Mexican history.
Chile’s Pablo Neruda (1904-1973) is considered one of the world’s greatest love poets. His given name was Neftalí Ricardo Reyes Basoalto, but he wrote and published under the pseudonym Pablo Neruda; some speculate that he did so to avoid criticism from his father, who had always discouraged him from writing. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1971. Another Chilean poet, Gabriela Mistral (1889-1957), was the first Latin American woman to win the Nobel Prize for Literature, which was awarded to her in 1945. While Mistral's poems reflect her passion for human causes, they were not the only way in which she served her community. She also acted as an educator, cultural minister and diplomat to various European countries.
Jorge Luis Borges and Gabriel García Márquez are perhaps the two writers who have brought Latin American literature into the global limelight. Borges (1899-1986) was from Argentina and is best known for the treatment of time in his writing. Like Frida Kahlo, a nearly fatal accident stimulated an exceptionally creative period in Borges' life in which he primarily wrote stories. García Márquez (b. 1928) began his career as a journalist in Colombia, and has since established himself as a novelist and short story writer. His work is best known for its style, magic realism, which combines reality and fantasy. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1982.
Brazilian novelist Jorge Amado (b. 1912) began his literary career at the age of twenty with the publication of his first novel. Most of his novels depict the city life of the lower classes in Bahia, and often reflect his communist ideology. Much of his work satirizes the Brazilian government, which imprisoned him in 1935 and banned his books due to his leftist activities.
Walter Salles, most recently honored for his film about life in Brazil, "Central do Brasil" ("Central Station"), is one of Brazil’s most acclaimed directors. He began as a documentary filmmaker in 1986, focusing on social issues in Brazil and the search for an identity, both national and individual. He continues to address the same issues in his narrative films, as seen in "Central Station," which tells the story of an orphaned boy's relationship with a woman who writes letters for the illiterate in Rio’s Central Station.
Whether giving voice to silent segments of the population, taking readers or viewers on a fantasy ride or both, Latin American writers, artists and filmmakers have made a lasting impact on twentieth century culture. Their contributions are vast and varied and cannot be summarized briefly, but I hope that you've enjoyed this cultural journey through the artistic movements of Latin America in recent history.
