EXHIBITION PROPOSAL: Transatlantic Encounters: Latin American Artists in Paris between the Wars, 1918–39 (original) (raw)

In the years between World War I and World War II, Paris was the epicenter of the art world. While the French capital attracted artists from the far reaches of the globe, the city held particular appeal for Latin Americans-in fact, over 300 arrived there dur-ing this period, engaging with nearly every major modernist development, including Cubism, Constructivism, Surrealism, and the more figural modes associated with the French academies. Their encounters with and participation in the international avantgarde community in Paris both shaped the future direction of modern Latin American art and expanded the worldview of European artists. Yet despite their conspicuous presence and remarkable achievements in interwar Paris, there has never been an exhibition or scholarly study focused exclusively on this formative episode, and the work of Latin American modernists remains underrepresented and undervalued in the art historical canon. Transatlantic Encounters: Latin American Artists in Paris between the Wars, 1918-39 will be the first exhibition to assemble the work of over forty Latin American artists who converged in Paris between 1918 and 1939 and explore their unique and significant contributions to modernism. This fascinating story of transnational cultural exchange and artistic transformation will be told through approximately 100 exceptional paintings, sculptures, and works on paper, as well as photographs, original exhibition brochures, and other archival material. Highlighting key artists and movements, presenting the range of artistic styles in their work, and displaying the dynamic interplay between the Latin American community and the Parisian art world, the exhibition will feature work by renowned artists, such as Roberto Matta, Diego Rivera, and Joaquín Torres García, and introduce lesser-known artists, such as Amelia Peláez, Emilio Pettoruti, and Juan del Prete. Exhibition curator Michele Greet's rich and comprehensive selection is drawn from prominent collections worldwide and includes many works that have never been exhibited before in the United States. Although Latin American artists had been traveling to Paris to study and exhibit since the nineteenth century, a major migration occurred after World War I, partly due to an increased availability of government grants from Latin American nations to sponsor artists' studies abroad. The highest concentration of artists came from the largest countries in South America, such as Argentina, Brazil, and Chile. Upon arriving in Paris, these students associated with artists from other Latin American countries through the open academies of Montparnasse where, for a fee, artists could participate in life drawing