Under the violence of dictatorial regimes, social repression, and foreign intervention, artists across Latin America have historically turned to art and craft practices as a tool for demonstration. In light of recent scholarship and exhibitions that have focused on the political and social climate of Latin America in the late twentieth century, our course will look at the ways in which art functioned as a form of resistance, critique, and empowerment during this tumultuous time. Within this context, we will foreground the practices of women artists and bring to bear the role of gender and art production. Given the complex and broad nature of this history, we will focus on several case studies across regions in Latin America that include examples from Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and South America.

This course is open to students from the History of Art department as well as other disciplines. There are no prerequisites to take this course.

This course fulfills the following Major requirements: Geographical area (C) and Chronological period (III).