History & Identity (Assignment I)

One work of art that really resonated with me along the theme of "History and Identity" was Joaquin Torres-Garcia's The North is the South drawing. The drawing shows an inverted map of South America with Equador at the bottom and the Southern tip of the continent on the top. What is particularly effective about this piece is how such a simple drawing can stand for so much meaning. Torres-Garcia says of this reversal "We have a true idea of our position, not how the rest of the world would like it." For me, the artist also brings to light the Western-centricity of map making and geography, that everything has to be in relation to the western countries. It's something I haven't really ever questioned before, the idea of whether "south" is really south or if it is called south because it's considered south relative the United States or another western power.

Much of the art that Dawn Ades showcases in chapters 12-13 of the textbook are challenges to the notion that there is one type of art or artist that defines Latin American art.