Beyond the Symbolic: Art and Social Commitment in the Americas

Beyond the Symbolic: Art and Social Commitment in the Americas interrogated the relevance of merging art and politics in the Americas, especially in works that explicitly resist political oppression, economic imperialism, and legacies of colonialism through public discourse. A common thread throughout the series was the confrontation between institutional formations or the state and subversive actions: how do we reckon with the need for resources embedded within power structures while resisting those very structures? Speakers explored the ways art can be mobilized for social transformation, touching on mail art and anti-performative discourses, the US-Mexico border crisis, formations of the mass, bureaucratic aesthetics, Chilean arpilleras and resistance to state violence, and dissident strategies of performance art in Cuba.

ABOUT THE LATIN AMERICAN FORUM
The Latin American Forum is a series of public lectures about the arts of the Americas, supported by ISLAA. These talks, interviews, and conversations with artists, curators, and scholars promote the advanced understanding of modern and contemporary Latin American and Caribbean art. As a conversational space for the creation of knowledge, it aims to build bridges that allow the exchange of ideas, resources, and methods within the field. Established by ISLAA and The Institute of Fine Arts in 2011, the Latin American Forum is held regularly at The Institute of Fine Arts, NYU, throughout the academic year in different formats, including panel discussions, conversations, and lectures. It is coordinated by Edward J. Sullivan and organized by graduate students.