Is it Diversity or Economics? - Finding New Artists on the Web
Finding Contemporary Latin American Artists on the Web
Until recently conducting scholarly research on contemporary artists was virtually impossible. Many new artists have never had a major exhibition and without such an exhibition there has probably not been a catalogue produced of their work or even an article written about them. Contemporary Latin American artists face even a greater challenge. Traditionally they have been underrepresented in museums and galleries throughout the art world. This under representation leads to their marginalization in the art world. When this occurs artists typically do not make it in to national or international publication. Without national or international exposure these artists are extremely difficult to research. Luckily, Latin American art and artists have been sneaking into the art world through large Latin American populations in major American cities such as Los Angeles, New York and Houston. As these artists communities grow Latin American artists have been receiving more and more interest often leading to gallery shows and museum exhibitions. In addition to that, many artists are exploring the possibilities of promoting themselves on the Internet
So, how does one find information on contemporary Latin American Artists? Print sources are scarce with the exception of a few good reference books such as Artists from Latin American Cultures: A Biographical Dictionary by Kristin G. Congdon. Indexing databases such as Bibliography of the History of Art (BHA), Art Index, and Art Bibliographies Modern provide little assistance due to the lack of publication on Latin American Artists. I believe that the World Wide Web may be the best place, if not the only in certain circumstances, to conduct scholarly research on Latin American artists. With the advent of the web these artists are now being published electronically. You are able to find background information, current exhibits, interviews, societies and journals dedicated to publicizing the once underrepresented Latin American Artists.
The following web sites represent a sampling of what information is available on the World Wide Web for researching contemporary Latin American artists. By searching them one will see that it is entirely possible to conduct scholarly research on the web. Artists such as Mario Madriz who have not had international exposure through galleries and museums can now get that exposure on the web. The web offers resources not only to researchers but to the artists themselves through sites such as Art on the Net. Art on the Net offers contemporary artists a venue to display their work, meet virtually with other artists, and to tell the viewing public about themselves and their work. Some Latin American artists are seeking to make a name for themselves through the internet, promoting their life and work on their own web sites (Enriquillo Rodriguez Amiama). Many new artistic styles and movements can be found in Latin American art. Often these movements will appear on the Internet Acamonchi). The web offers sites devoted to general art research, sites devoted to Latin American artists, sites for the display of an artists' work such as museums, galleries and exhibitions and sites for scholarly publication such as journals and newsletters. Anyone interested in Latin American art whether it be in a scholarly context or just for fun can find a wealth of information on the World Wide Web.
Latin American Artists | American Indian Artists
Contact the Librarian: Lucie Stylianopoulos | 924.6604 | lws4n@virginia.edu
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