A survey of 20th contemporary art in 20 countries of Latin America, including the Caribbean. "One de the interests of this book is to show that the talent, intuition and spirit of creativity of the continent's native cultures were not annihilated by the Spanish conquest. On the contrary, these values have permeated through time as a collective consciousness that manifests itself in the way of understanding, appreciating and recreating life, impregnating it with the characteristic vitality of festive, joyful people. Without doubt, this initial vision was enriched by the wealth of knowledge contributed by the Latin culture, the Muslim influence and the history of both groups. The result is a firm heritage; still present in the artistic expressions and lifestyle of Latin American cultures. If we shift our gaze to the pre-Columbian past, we see that the three most outstanding cultures were the Maya, Aztec and Inca. Yet it would be difficult to understand their development without taking into account the importance of the cultures that preceded them" --Page 27.