Collecting Latin American Art for the 21st Century

Globalization has produced a new class of transnational art collectors who are changing the nature of collecting. Latin Americans have participated in this process from its inception, challenging mainstream biases and cultural stereotypes to build collections of extraordinary quality. Collecting Latin American Art for the 21st Century, published by the Department of Latin American Art and International Center for the Arts of the Americas at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH), explores the shifting profile of Latin American collections. What are the challenges of collecting the art of such a heterogeneous region? How have local collectors balanced individual tastes with the demands of a globalized art world? Through a series of case studies, contributors examine the history and context behind this largely unprecedented trend. Five essays follow an introduction by Mari Carmen Ramirez. Tomas Ybarra-Frausto examines the cultural exchange resulting from circular migration between Latin American and U.S. Latino populations, and he calls upon institutions like the MFAH to foster additional dialogue. Olivier Debroise traces the transition in Mexican art patronage from its nationalist origins to its present international climate. Marcelo Pacheco considers the economic boom in 1990s Argentina and the resulting rise in entrepreneurial, globally oriented collectors. Luis Perez Oramas discusses the collection of Patricia and Gustavo Cisneros as a benchmark for enlightened collecting. And Beverly Adams outlines the history of collecting Latin American art in the United States, articulating the challenges ahead for collectors on this side of the border.