Michele Greet, Director, Art History Program, received funding for: “Abstraction in the Andes, 1950-1970.”
She will examine the emergence of abstract painting in Andean countries (Peru, Ecuador, and Bolivia) in the 1950s and 1960s. She will explore artists’ newfound interest in pre-Columbian art as source material as well as the circulation of ideas from Europe and the United States.
Although abstract art rapidly gained acceptance throughout Latin America after World War II, until recently, studies of abstract painting in the region have focused on the geometric styles that emerged in Brazil, Argentina, and Venezuela. Different variants of abstraction developed simultaneously in the Andes, where artists incorporated local aesthetics to create a unique interpretation of the trend.
Greet will not only challenge perceptions of abstraction as primarily the product of U.S. and European environments, but also will demonstrate how this art form can engage regional cultural heritage and serve local goals while simultaneously entering dialogue with global aesthetic movements.
Greet will receive $50,000 from the National Gallery of Art for this project. Funding will begin in Sept. 2024 and will end in May 2025.
###
ABOUT GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY
George Mason University is Virginia’s largest public research university. Located near Washington, D.C., Mason enrolls more than 40,000 students from 130 countries and all 50 states. Mason has grown rapidly over the past half-century and is recognized for its innovation and entrepreneurship, remarkable diversity, and commitment to accessibility. In 2023, the university launched Mason Now: Power the Possible, a one-billion-dollar comprehensive campaign to support student success, research, innovation, community, and stewardship. Learn more at gmu.edu.