Across the globe, new art traditions have responded to the radical changes of the 20th century.
1945 - present
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Rafael Tufiño, La Plena
Originally made as a backdrop for the 1957 film La Plena, this mural celebrates the people and music of Puerto Rico.
Mahmoud Hammad, Arabic Writing no. 11
Hammad manipulates the texture, color, and spatial ratios of Arabic words to the point of abstracted illegibility.
Rafael Tufiño, Goyita
A portrait of the artist's mother, Goyita symbolizes the resilience of Puerto Rico.
Ramón Frade, Our Daily Bread
Artists like Frade found in the representations of jíbaros a way to push back against the cultural and political situation.
Tshibumba Kanda Matulu, Le 30 juin 1960, Zaïre indépendant
In a series of 100 paintings, Tshibumba Kanda Matulu tells the history of Zaïre, or present-day Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The arts of Africa, c. 18th–20th century
African arts played a central role in their communities, whether to communicate royalty, sacrality, inner virtues, aesthetic interests, genealogy or other central concerns
Amrita Sher-Gil, Self-Portrait as a Tahitian
Sher-Gil engages with the artists Gauguin and van Gogh in her complicated self-portrait.
Battle of Adwa
This painting depicts the moment when the Ethiopian army defeated Italian aggressors, defending itself against colonization
Itinerant Modernisms: Cosmopolitans, Exiles, Travelers since 1950
In the second-half of the twentieth century, the large-scale migrations of artists, ideas, and visual forms had an enormous impact on the evolution and practice of contemporary art worldwide.
Fahrelnissa Zeid – ‘She Was the East and the West’
Turkish Princess and artist Fahrelnissa Zeid is best known for her large-scale abstract compositions blending Byzantine, Islamic and Western influences.
Ibrahim El-Salahi, The Inevitable
Often considered El-Salahi's masterpiece, 'The Inevitable' was first conceived by the artist during his wrongful imprisonment.
Ibrahim El-Salahi , Reborn Sounds of Childhood Dreams 1 studio visit
Artist Ibrahim El-Salahi discusses his work 'Reborn Sounds of Childhood Dreams 1' 1962-3, a large-scale oil painting acquired by Tate.
