All are from Mexico and the article implies first, that Mexican artists top the list of the regions most talented and second, because all of these artists explored figuration, that this is the visual language of the Americas. Although these implications were, perhaps, not intended by author Stephen Kinzer, given the relatively few articles on Latin American art and collections in this prominent newspaper, the average reader has few visual references with which to contrast the author's statements. Having touched upon the international reception of Latin American art, I would also like to comment on the region's perspective on its art history, an issue largely overlooked by the Western approach to art from Latin America. Vast differences in visual languages and traditions exist in the art of Latin American countries. To speak of the visual culture from the region as a unified body, in which Chilean, Guatemalan or Brazilian art combined presents a varied, but single voice, ignores the multiplicity of approaches existing between the cultures of each nation.
Similarities are evident based on historical influences but differences abound.
We would not dare group 20th century European art under one heading, seamlessly combining Italian and German art as a single expression, without recognizing the history and tradition of each country. The same approach must be taken with art from Latin America. During the twentieth century, in particular, art movements varied dramatically between Latin American countries based in large part on the artist's level of education, affluence and international exposure, both from travel abroad and from contact with European artists in the Americas. Mexico, for example, pursued a national, social-realist movement supported by the national government beginning in the 1920's. Artists were invited, under the auspices of the newly formed Ministry of Education to paint murals upon the walls of public buildings presenting easily readable images to explain the tragedies and triumphs of the Mexican Revolution.