Date of Award
2026
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Department
Art Business
Abstract
This dissertation investigates how “Latin American art” emerged as a category within the intertwined fields of museums and the art market, revealing how institutional, linguistic, and economic practices shaped its visibility and limits. It argues that the label was never neutral, but a performative construct born from colonial histories and sustained by market logics that translated cultural difference into economic value. Drawing on decolonial theory, the study examines the creation of MoMA’s Latin American Collection (1943) and Sotheby’s establishment of its Latin American Art Department (1979) to trace how regional identity became a curatorial and commercial framework. Through discourse analysis, catalogue comparison, and market data, the research demonstrates that while these mechanisms granted visibility to artists from the region, they also reinforced internal hierarchies and notions of otherness.
Recommended Citation
Duque Mordecai, Mariana, "Curating the Other: Colonial Genealogies, Institutional Logics, and Market Classification in the Construction of 'Latin American Art'" (2026). MA in Art Business Dissertations. 10.
https://digitalcommons.sia.edu/ma_art_bus/10