Race, Anthropology, and Politics in the Work of Wifredo Lam

This book reinterprets Wifredo Lams work with particular attention to its political implications, focusing on how these implications emerge from the artists critical engagement with 20th-century anthropology. Field work conducted in Cuba enhances the interpretive background against which we can construe the meanings of Lam's art. Claude Cernuschi argues that Lam hoped to fashion a new hybrid style to foster pride and dignity in the Afro-Cuban community and counteract the acute racism of Cuban culture.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 248 pages
Publication date: 14 June 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This book delves into a profound reinterpretation of Wifredo Lams' artistic endeavors, paying close attention to their political implications. By engaging critically with 20th-century anthropology, the author highlights how these implications emerge from Lams' artistic expressions. Extensive fieldwork conducted in Cuba, encompassing firsthand observation of actual Afro-Cuban religious rituals and the gathering of information from informants, provides a rich interpretive backdrop against which to understand the meanings embedded in Lams' art. Through his analysis, Claude Cernuschi contends that Lam aimed to create a novel hybrid style, driven by a desire to instill pride and dignity within the Afro-Cuban community and counteract the pervasive racism prevalent in Cuban culture.

This book delves into a profound reinterpretation of Wifredo Lams' artistic endeavors, paying close attention to their political implications. By engaging critically with 20th-century anthropology, the author highlights how these implications emerge from Lams' artistic expressions. Extensive fieldwork conducted in Cuba, encompassing firsthand observation of actual Afro-Cuban religious rituals and the gathering of information from informants, provides a rich interpretive backdrop against which to understand the meanings embedded in Lams' art. Through his analysis, Claude Cernuschi contends that Lam aimed to create a novel hybrid style, driven by a desire to instill pride and dignity within the Afro-Cuban community and counteract the pervasive racism prevalent in Cuban culture.

Weight: 460g
Dimension: 246 x 174 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032338323