Art and Colonialism

In this session of the conversation club, we will discuss the relationship between art and colonialism in the context of Spain and Latin America. As part of the discussion, we will analyse how art was used as a tool of power and control during colonisation. Unlike the secular culture of the Protestant settlers from England and northern Europe in the United States, the Iberians brought to the Americas their culture in which the creation of images and decorative arts were deeply intertwined with Catholicism. 

We will also talk about artistic fusion, in this case how European and indigenous influences were combined, and the role of the Church and the representation of sacred objects in colonial art. Additionally, we will reflect on how current artistic expressions reinterpret those of the past. Participants will be invited to share their views on the colonial legacy in visual culture, and we will explore examples of representative works. The overall aim is to create a critical dialogue about history and identity.