Encounters with “Latin American Art” in Canada: From Toronto to Vancouver, 1999-2021

In this essay, I reflect on the condition of Latin American modern and contemporary art in Canada through my personal experiences in the field. I employ autobiography to narrate my encounters with the category Latin American art as I immigrated from Mexico to Canada as an art student (1999), followed by a move from the east to the west coast of the country where I became involved with the art collective AKA, based on the unceded territories of the Musqueam, Tsleil-Waututh and Squamish, otherwise known as Vancouver, British Columbia (2012 -2017). Following an overview of the broad question of identity in Latin American art and a discussion on three flows of Latin American migration to the region, I examine the conflicting relationship with Latin American art amongst AKA’s members. In the process, I contemplate how the vexed question of identity is inseparable from my work and experiences as a feminist artist and scholar. Finally, I offer some reflections on the overall lack of institutional interest in modern and contemporary Latin American art in Vancouver.