I have always found it interesting how the American obsession with race and ethnicity and the "where are you from?" question permeate all levels of our culture, including fine arts. The section in our census forms where we describe race has become a joke to the rest of the world, with its unbelievable number of potential combinations. And more recently I've read, with some concern, the same sort of qualifiers have begun to appear in art grant application packages and other forms.
Which brings me to "Latino" art and artists, suddenly so in vogue and prevalent in our museums and media. But what is "Latino" art?
There is a hopelessness and yet a hopefulness in attempting to approach this term, perhaps due to its relevance in the DC area. The gross American simplification of grouping into one ethnic and cultural qualifier the nearly 30 New World nationalities and two European ones that currently make up the uniquely American term "Latin" or "Latino" is beyond me.
To complicate the issue, Portuguese people and their colonial offspring in Brazil are also included under this misused term. So why aren't Italians? Or are they? Argentineans are Latins, right? And a vast number of Argentineans are actually the descendants of Italian immigrants, and since the Roman Empire's Italian citizens were the original Latins, why are they out of the equation now? And don't even get me started about the many millions of people in Latin American countries of German, African, Asian and Middle Eastern ancestry.
Under this uniquely American term, a blonde, blue-eyed Yank from upstate New York can be qualified as "Native American" provided that he or she can prove one-sixteenth Oneida blood, but the full-blooded Maya immigrant from Guatemala or Honduras cleaning your office or landscaping suburban yards is a "Latino"? Makes my head hurt.
Another way to show this is to look at the names of some of the Washington, DC area's (which is the area that I know best and write about) best known artists of Latin-American ancestry to see what a rambling mix we are. We soon run into names like Jose Ruiz, Javier Cuellar, Gabriel Gross, Manuel Metz, Elena Maza, Nicolas Shi, Nestor Hernandez, Felicia Federman, Michael Bonfigli, Naul Ojeda, Raquel Partnoy, and my good friend Joe Shannon, born in Puerto Rico from a good-ole PR family!
Where's the "Latino Art" in DC?
Of the nearly two hundred art spaces, galleries, and other venues that make up DC's immense cultural tapestry, a handful focus their exhibitions on Latin American art and artists. Fondo del Sol, 2112 R Street, NW, was established in 1970 and is the second oldest art space of its kind in the U.S.
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Article comments
1 - alexandre affonso
it is very common mistake to think that latins are people from spanish speakin countries. perharps it's so simple to me because i'm brazilian, but latins are all people born (or descendent) in a latin language country (portuguese, spanish, french, italian and romenian)... thanks for introduce me ana mendieta.
2 - LatinoPundit
I think you are complicating the term much more than need be. The term "Latino" is best understood if used for those in South of our border in Latin America. It was a term to describe Latin Americans, not Latins or Hispanics from Europe.
3 - Jessica Villar
I agree completely with you! It is not only confusing, but diminishes the large cultural and racial and ethnic diversity of Latin American countries and Latin Americans.
I am from Uruguay and had never heard this term until I started working here in the United States.
Great insight!
4 - alexandre affonso
In latin languages the term "latino" describes not just Latin Americans. Portuguese, Italian, French and Spanish are Latins as well, and in UK is the same.
5 - Beryl Kerr Lynch
What a great observation! My father is Scottish (Ian Kerr - born in Montrose) and my mother (Luisa Lynch) was born in Argentina of Irish parents - but because she was born in Argentina, by US "standards" I am a Latina!!!
Silly... or shall I say "que bobos son!"
6 - latino
the latins are the browned people of south america, and mexico. That is to say the descendants of the aztecs, mayas, incas...
They eat bananas, dance samba and salsa, they eat chili con carne and tacos... This is latin !
ps : I'm joking... about this definition of "latin/latino" that USA want to impose to the world...
7 - Allisio Rex
Italians are the only Latins. Latins and Latinos are the same words. It all started in Italy, my friends.
However as the French,Spaniards,Portugueses and Romanians have inherited our Latin Language, Roman Laws, Christian Religion and Culture we extend to them our Latin heritage. As for those of the so-called "America Latina" this was a mistake by the French in calling that area "Amerique Latine" to distinguish it from the northern " Anglo-America".
However, the name is America Latina, and not "Latina" which, in my pressing opinion, should be changed immediately because it gives today a false sense of undeserving cultural pride to people who have nothing to do with being Latins. More information at Real Latins