Mirko Lauer on Art, Identity, and Poverty in the Third World
In his essay, Mirko Lauer examines the themes of art, identity, and poverty in the Third World, which he presented at the third Bienal de La Habana and later published in Afterall in 2011. He discusses how the term 'Third World' has transformed since World War II, weighing perspectives on collective artistic expression against cultural distinctions. Lauer critiques the dichotomy of tradition versus modernity, emphasizing poverty as a unifying factor. He cites Juan Acha's 1975 appeal for psychological diversity and reflects on the 1978 Bienal Latinoamericana de São Paulo, which Mario Pedrosa characterized as centered on 'infinite variations around a single historical phenomenon: misery.' Lauer outlines five shifts in the perception of Third World art, promoting recognition among the artistic communities of impoverished nations and engaging with thinkers such as Néstor García Canclini and Aníbal Quijano.
Key facts
- Essay by Mirko Lauer first presented at the third Bienal de La Habana.
- Originally published in English in 1995 in Beyond the Fantastic.
- Published in Afterall on 20 April 2011 as part of Exhibition Histories series.
- Lauer discusses the term 'Third World' used since World War II.
- References Juan Acha's 1975 essay on Latin American need to redefine art.
- Mario Pedrosa coined 'Rearguard Art' at the 1978 Bienal Latinoamericana de São Paulo.
- Marta Traba criticized 'terrorism of the avant-garde' and advocated 'art of resistance'.
- Lauer identifies five key changes in understanding Third World art.
- Engages with García Canclini, Quijano, and others on postmodernism and modernity.
- Lauer argues poverty is a common denominator but representation of poverty is not central.
Entities
Artists
- Mirko Lauer
- Juan Acha
- Mario Pedrosa
- Marta Traba
- Fernando de Szyszlo
- Enrique Zañartu
- José Luis Cuevas
- Armando Reverón
- Pablo Picasso
- Paul Klee
- Pieter Breughel the Elder
- Néstor García Canclini
- Aníbal Quijano
- Gustavo Buntinx
- Mario Perniola
- Lang Shaojun
- Guillermo Bonfil Batalla
- Ticio Escobar
- Ferreira Gullar
- Victoria Novelo
- Frederico Morais
- Roger L. Taylor
- Rita Eder
- Jürgen Habermas
- Clara Zetkin
- Mustafa Isrui
- Franco Moretti
Institutions
- Afterall
- Bienal de La Habana
- Bienal Latinoamericana de São Paulo
- Institute of International Visual Arts
- MIT Press
- Fondo de Cultura Económica
- UNAM
- Centro Cultural Paraguayo-Americano
- Casa de las Américas
- Civilização Brasileira
- Mosca Azul Editores
- Desco
- SEP-INAH
- Paz e Terra
- The Harvester Press
- Mursia
- Beacon Press
- Sociedad y política ediciones
Locations
- Lima
- Peru
- São Paulo
- Brazil
- Havana
- Cuba
- Paris
- France
- New York
- United States
- Latin America
- Africa
- Asia
- China
- India
- Mexico
- Paraguay
- Rio de Janeiro
- Buenos Aires
- Asunción
- Mexico City
Sources
- Afterall —