Cuba
•
3 views
Wifredo Lam
Sagua la Grande, Cuba
Archival Overview
Cuban modernist painter who fused European Cubism and Surrealism with Afro-Cuban spirituality, Santería symbolism, and anti-colonial consciousness.
Biographical Record
Wifredo Lam was born in Cuba to a Chinese immigrant father and a mother of African and Spanish descent. After studying in Madrid and fighting for the Republic in the Spanish Civil War, he moved to Paris in 1938, where Pablo Picasso embraced him as a brother and introduced him to the Surrealist circle of André Breton.
Returning to Cuba in 1941, Lam was appalled by the persistent degradation and commercial exploitation of Afro-Cubans. In response, he created his 1943 masterpiece, 'The Jungle' (La Jungla)—a dense bamboo forest inhabited by horned, hybrid spirit-figures embodying the resilience and mystery of Afro-Caribbean heritage.
Key Life Milestones
The Jungle (La Jungla)
Created his monumental masterpiece fusing Cubist structure, African masks, and Santería spiritual hybridity.
Guggenheim International Award
Won the prestigious Guggenheim International Award, solidifying his global acclaim as an avant-garde master.
Memorial Guestbook & Tributes
0 messages recordedLeave a Respectful Tribute
Final Resting Place
Perpetual MemorialParis, France