The art of resistance in Latin America

Art has played a fundamental role in resistance and social struggles in Latin America. Many artists have used their works as tools of denunciation, protest and cultural affirmation against oppression, injustice and inequalities. Some of the main expressions of Latin American "art of resistance" are:

Mexican muralism:
The grandiose murals by Diego Rivera, José Clemente Orozco and David Alfaro Siqueiros exalted revolutionary causes, indigenous dignity and criticism of capitalism. They were visual symbols of the social struggle after the Mexican Revolution.

Tupamaro Movement in Uruguay:
In the 60s and 70s, plastic artists such as Jorge Damián Cayetano Correa and Carlos Capó joined the Tupamara guerrillas, creating graffiti, street murals and "insubordinate art" actions against the dictatorship.

Street art/graffiti:
Graffiti and urban art have become forms of protest and popular denunciation for causes such as indigenous rights, anti-imperialism, anti-racism, among others. The Mexican movement of "Critical Urban Graphics" stands out.

Conceptual/performance art:
Conceptual artists such as Colombians Oscar Muñoz, Doris Salcedo, and Beatriz González explored experimental ways to address political violence, mourning, and historical memory.

Indigenous and Afro art:
Plastic works, literature, music and dances of indigenous and Afro-descendant peoples that reclaim their identity, worldview and ancestral struggles against racism and oppression.

Documentary photography:
Works by committed photojournalists such as the Brazilian Sebastião Salgado, who crudely illustrated the harsh social and labor realities and peasant movements.

In summary, countless Latin American artistic expressions have been vehicles to give voice to popular causes, denounce abuses, keep historical memory alive, and promote cultural and political resistance.

LATAMARTE