Major exhibition of Latin American art to open in Tallinn

Text Susanna Poikela
Photos KUMU

Leonora Carrington The Godmother. 1970. Oil. © The Phoebus Foundation, Antwerpen 

The Kumu Art Museum will open an international exhibition entitled “History and Mysticism – Latin American Art and Europe”, this Friday, June 21. It is the largest exhibition of Latin American art in Estonia to date. The exhibition includes works from the Spanish colonial period of the 17th and 18th centuries, as well as from the first half of the 20th century. The exhibition is organised in collaboration with The Phoebus Foundation, which owns one of the most important collections of Latin American art in Europe.

“We are thrilled to bring our Latin American collection outside Belgium for the first time! Most of the works have been restored and renovated especially for this exhibition. It’s a real treat for the eye, because now each work shows its best side,” explained Katharina Van Cauteren, CEO of The Phoebus Foundation.

“The central theme of the exhibition is Latin America’s artistic relations with Europe, in particular the influence of European art on Latin American art. The exhibition brings together two different periods: Opening up the colonial past provides a context for looking at the art of Latin American countries that were already independent in the 20th century. From both periods, we see how Europeanism merged with local indigenous traditions, resulting in a visual language specific to Latin America,” shared curators Sirje Helme and Kadi Polli.

Represented are big names in Latin American art such as Diego Rivera, Joaquín Torres-García, Roberto Matta, Julio Alpuy, Antonio Berni and Fernando Botero, as well as Líbero Badíi and Wifredo Lam, who received much attention at this year’s Venice Biennale. In total, a hundred works will be on display – the largest of which are sculptures 2-3 metres high.

Closely linked to the exhibition are seven paintings by the English surrealist artist and writer Leonora Carrington (1917-2011) in the 4th floor project room at Kumu. Carrington spent much of her life in Mexico. In recent years, Carrington’s highly original work has attracted a great deal of attention and she has become the most valuable British female artist on the art market. 

On Thursday, June 27, those interested will have the unique opportunity to take part in a special English-language tour by The Phoebus Foundation’s painting conservator Carlos González, who will explain the most fascinating conservation cases of the colonial works on display. A summer courtyard festival to celebrate the exhibition will take place in Kumu on 24 August, where all guests are welcome. 

The “History and Mysticism – Latin American Art and Europe” exhibition in Kumu’s Great Hall and exhibition of works by Leonora Carrington in the 4th floor project space will be on display until November 3, 2024.

To learn more about this and similar topics
Art Exhibition Estonia International Exhibition Kumu Kumu Art Museum Latin American Art Leonora Carrington Tallinn