Panel The Reception of Blackness by Latin Artists and Philosophers in the USA, USP Brasil – noviembre

This panel addresses how Latin artists and philosophers in the United States perceive blackness. Afro-Latinos and Afro-Caribbean’s comprise a quarter of the Latin population residing in the United States. This group is fundamental to understanding the Latin American region and its importance in Afro-Latin culture in the United States. Specifically, their influence is evident in various forms, such as the visual arts, theater, dance, films, performance, photography, music, social thought, and black American movements.

The United States is one of the important hubs that welcomed Afro-Latin artists and philosophers, whether through exhibitions, research, museum collections, lectures, publications, or because they intellectually lived or were there for a short period. On these occasions, encounters occurred between Afro-Latin cultures and American cultures. Latino artists and philosophers have engaged with issues of identity, multiculturalism, and blackness. They were stimulated by the civil rights movement led by Martin Luther King Jr. to abolish racial segregation. Many of them critically analyze history, religions, migration, colonization, and the

fight against racism and Afro-Latin culture.

Afro-Latino artists and thinkers who have made notable contributions to the community are often disregarded as Latino citizens, and even parts of their stories are erased. For many decades, Abdias do Nascimento was primarily recognized for his political performance as a deputy and senator, overshadowing his significant contributions to the field of visual arts. His work as a teacher and artist in the United States was also underappreciated until 2022, when Museum of Modern Art of Sao Paulo (MASP) held the largest individual exhibition showcasing his artistic endeavors. Thinkers and activists such as Abdias do Nascimento, Sandra Maria Esteves, Jorge Soto Sánchez, and Antonia Pantoja, along with artists like Maria Magdalena Campos Pons, Patrícia Encarnación, Tiffany Alfonseca, Alexandre Arrechea, and Miguel Algarin, who actively participated in the fight against racism in the United States, have contributed to the development of new cultural identities and decolonial thoughts through their artistic, philosophical, and literary works, as well as innovative forms of art within the Latin black community. The

diversity of their works illustrates the complexity of experiences, cultures, and identities within this group. These works explore histories, traditions, cultures, and religions that have been neglected for many centuries.

Afro-Latino philosophers and artists address race and gender equality in their themes, emphasizing the importance of reparations and combating structural racism, which is often responsible for the invisibility of this ethnic group. Additionally, black Latin artists and thinkers address a wide range of topics, including ancestry, religion, gender, empowerment, slavery in the colonial past, the role of black people in contemporary society, equality, diversity, and anti-racism.

It is extremely important to study the reception of Latin blackness in the United States to rewrite the history of art and philosophical thought. For many centuries, black artists and thinkers were excluded from the main books, teaching, and research in these fields. We invite contributions from scholars whose work explores receptions of blackness in the United States, rethinks the legacies of colonialism, and presents or critiques Afro-Latino perspectives.

Proposals for panel must be sent until august 13th, 2024

Please submit your proposals containing a proposed title, an abstract (containing 1500 to 2500 characters without spaces); Formatting: Times New Roman font, 12, spacing 1.5 cm, title, author identification, contact email, affiliation and bibliographic references.

For inquiries and submissions, please contact Tatiane Elias at tatianeeliasufsm@gmail.com

Indicate if you plan to attend in person or online.

Chair Tatiane de Oliveira Elias/UFSM

Chair Fernando Scherer/Univasf