Rumblings of the earth. Wifredo Lam, his work and words

Description

The Afro-Cuban artist Wifredo Lam played a leading role in bringing the art of the non-white world to the attention of the international community. Of mixed race and cultural heritage, he was born in 1902 in Sangua La Grande, Cuba to a mother who was a descendent of slaves and a father who was a Chinese immigrant. In his youth he was exposed to the rich heritage of African, Santaria and Confucian traditions. These traditions affected him deeply and are reflected in his art which is in the collections of major museums here and abroad. This film follows Lam from student days in Havana through his development as an artist in Europe where he became a close friend of Picasso and other luminaries. Upon returning to Cuba, Lam rediscovered his roots, became a leader in the Negritude movement, and produced his most famous work, "The Jungle." This richly illustrated film uses Lam s paintings and writing along with interviews with authorities on art and Caribbean culture to trace the evolution of a unique and truly multicultural twentieth century artist. "The film explores the importance of Lam's place in 20th century art and provides important historical, religious and artistic information." Multicultural Review.

Runtime

23 min

Creator

Byrd, Dennis

Subjects

Contributor

Genre

Date of Publication

1996

Database

Alexander Street

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