Wifredo Lam Art
Wifredo Lam was an Afro-Cuban artist best known for his unique Surrealist aesthetic that combined European artistic movements with the imagery of his native country.
“I responded always to the presence of factors that emanated from our history and our geography, tropical flowers, and black culture,” Lam once said.
In one of his most famous paintings, The Jungle (1943), these various influences are melded together, onto a single large-scale canvas. Born Wifredo Oscar de la Concepción Lam y Castilla on December 8, 1902 in Sagua la Grande, Cuba, the painter moved to Madrid, Spain in 1923 to study with Fernando Álvarez de Sotomayor, who had been the teacher of famed Surrealist Salvador Dalí.
Lam moved to Paris after seeing an exhibition of Pablo Picasso’s work in Spain. Having arrived in the French capital, he introduced himself to Picasso who subsequently showed Lam his collection of African and Oceanic artworks. The two artists' interaction figured heavily in Lam’s work throughout the remainder of his career. He died on September 11, 1982 in Paris, France at the age of 79.
Today, the artist’s works are held in the collections of the Tate Gallery in London, the Reina Sofia Museum in Madrid, the Museum of Modern Art in New York, and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., among others.
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(Biography provided by Gallery Art)
1940s Surrealist Wifredo Lam Art
Ink, Pencil
1940s Modern Wifredo Lam Art
Ink, Pencil
1970s Modern Wifredo Lam Art
Lithograph
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- Was Wifredo Lam a Surrealist?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertOctober 15, 2024Yes, Wifredo Lam was a Surrealist. After meeting André Breton, the author of the Surrealist Manifesto, the Cuban artist became highly involved with the Surrealist movement. He was also a member of the movement Négritude. Lam’s style resulted from his extensive travels, featuring graffiti-like flourishes with clear Cubist influences in a Surrealist mood. On 1stDibs, shop a variety of Wifredo Lam art.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Cuban artist Wilfredo Lam was a painter who often worked on large-scale paintings. Using a modern approach and Afro-Cuban imagery, he tackled common themes of social injustice and spirituality. On 1stDibs, find a variety of original artwork from top artists.