The colonial world depended on enslaved Africans and their descendants for labor, creating material goods that traversed the globe. But Latin America’s culture was also dependent on imported African culture. Through miles of separation from their home continent, generations of descendants sustained and modified African culture in Latin America, making the region distinctly Afro.                                          

The MFA holds a number of artworks that illustrate this story. Venture across the Museum’s galleries, looking at works in different mediums to gain a holistic impression of Afro-Latin America: its history, influence, and legacy.

Leah Olivo, PhD candidate, History of Art and Architecture, Boston University