Indigenous and Afro-descendant Art in the Visual Formation of Latin America

Indigenous and Afro-descendant art has been essential in the construction of Latin America's visual identity, although it was long rendered invisible by academic and colonial institutions. The continent's original cultures developed symbolic systems, techniques, and worldviews that continue to influence contemporary art, from ceramics and textiles to painting and architecture.

Pre-Columbian iconography—with its geometric figures, mythical animals, and spiritual narratives—became a fundamental source for modernist artists seeking to distance themselves from European canons. Torres-García, Wifredo Lam, Tarsila do Amaral, and many other artists reinterpreted these legacies to construct their own visual languages.

On the other hand, Afro-descendant communities contributed expressions deeply linked to memory, resistance, and spirituality. From the aesthetics of Candomblé in Brazil to the rhythms and figures of Afro-Caribbean culture, its influence is felt in painting, sculpture, dance, and folk art.

Today, contemporary artists are reclaiming these roots to challenge colonialism, racism, and historical inequalities. Their work not only recovers traditions but also updates them through new technologies, installations, and performance.
Indigenous and Afro-descendant art is, therefore, a fundamental pillar of Latin American visual identity: a living blend of memory, spirituality, and resistance that continues to transform the region's culture.
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