Mapping the Presence of Latin American Art in Canadian Museums and Universities

This essay overviews how Canadian museums and universities have historically accessioned Latin American visual culture and identifies potential ways of sustaining interest, streamlining initiatives, and promoting access. The larger project aims at contributing to a hemispheric and transnational understanding of the history and growth in Canada of the field of Latin American art and its subfields of Pre-Columbian, colonial, modern, and contemporary art. While the study of art history among Canadian museums and universities has kept up with the decades-long interest in Latin American art and visual culture, there remain considerable challenges in bringing Latin American art to the forefront of public consciousness. Despite the pioneering efforts of Canadian museums and universities, Latin American visual art remains largely unknown and underutilized. This essay advocates for better collaboration among institutions involved in Latin American visual art initiatives across Canada, and dialogue among these disparate stakeholders to establish underlying narratives