Cuba
• 1902
- 1982
140 followers
Painting is a universal language.
Biography
Wifredo Lam was born in 1902 in Sagua la Grande (Cuba). He studied Law before leaving his island in 1923 for Spain.
Wifredo Lam joined the Artcollege of Madrid where he would work in the painter Fernando Alvarez de Sotomayor's atelier. His first personal exhibition was organized in 1928. The work of Wifredo Lam was in its halfcaste history (China, Africa, and the Antilles). The artist was notably inspired by Africans who brought in Cuba "their primitive culture, their magic religion, and its mystic aspect".
During the Spanish civil war, Wifredo Lam fought for the republicans. He was obliged to take refuge in France in 1937; there, he met Picasso who helped him to find his place in the Parisian artistic environment and introduced him to his friends (Michel Leiris, Paul Eluard, Tristan Tzara, Léger, Braque, Miro, Christian Zervos, Matisse, etc.). In 1939, he joined André Breton and the surrealist movement.
Wifredo Lam died in Paris in 1982. According to the painter's will, his ashes were transferred in Cuba, where was created in posthumous honoring, the "Centre Wifredo Lam" for the promotion and the study of the Third World-Plastic Arts.
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Categories
Artistic movements
Themes
Untitled
Wifredo Lam
Fine Art Drawings - 21.9 x 16.9 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 8.6 x 6.7 x 0.1 inch
€32,000
Oiseau de fer (signed chrome plated sculpture)
Wifredo Lam
Sculpture - 26.7 x 14 x 8.9 cm Sculpture - 10.5 x 5.5 x 3.5 inch
€6,802
Multiplies des membres des loa
Wifredo Lam
Print - 65 x 50 x 0.05 cm Print - 25.6 x 19.7 x 0 inch
€1,500
Les vaches sont maigres en Haïti
Wifredo Lam
Print - 65 x 50 x 0.05 cm Print - 25.6 x 19.7 x 0 inch
€1,500
Ils ont le cou des échassiers
Wifredo Lam
Print - 65 x 50 x 0.05 cm Print - 25.6 x 19.7 x 0 inch
€1,500
El ultimo viaje del buque fantasma
Wifredo Lam
Print - 50 x 36 x 4 cm Print - 19.7 x 14.2 x 1.6 inch
€2,800
El ultimo viaje del buque fantasma - 6
Wifredo Lam
Print - 56 x 76 x 1 cm Print - 22 x 29.9 x 0.4 inch
€800
Taureau-trois-graines s'est laisse pousser les dents
Wifredo Lam
Print - 65 x 50 x 0.05 cm Print - 25.6 x 19.7 x 0 inch
€1,800
El Ultimo Viaje Del Buque Fantasma
Wifredo Lam
Print - 76.2 x 55.2 cm Print - 30 x 21.75 inch
€2,734
Untitled
Wifredo Lam
Fine Art Drawings - 16.9 x 21.9 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 6.7 x 8.6 x 0.1 inch
€32,000
El último viaje del buque fantasma III
Wifredo Lam
Print - 50 x 71 x 0.2 cm Print - 19.7 x 28 x 0.1 inch
€400
El último viaje del buque fantasma X
Wifredo Lam
Print - 50 x 71 x 0.2 cm Print - 19.7 x 28 x 0.1 inch
€400
L’oiseau de Feu – L’oiseau de Fer (Bird of Fire – Bird of Iron)
Wifredo Lam
Sculpture - 26 x 28 x 10 cm Sculpture - 10.2 x 11 x 3.9 inch
Sold
Des hommes oiseaux, des nageurs courbes
Wifredo Lam
Print - 59 x 80 cm Print - 23.2 x 31.5 inch
Sold
Elle, casqué - from the suite Pleni Luna
Wifredo Lam
Print - 65 x 50 x 0.2 cm Print - 25.6 x 19.7 x 0.1 inch
Sold
Belle épine - from the suite 'Pleni Luna'
Wifredo Lam
Print - 65 x 50 x 0.1 cm Print - 25.6 x 19.7 x 0 inch
Sold
Innoncence - from the suite Pleni Luna
Wifredo Lam
Print - 65 x 50 x 0.2 cm Print - 25.6 x 19.7 x 0.1 inch
Sold
Oiseau de feu et oiseau de fer
Wifredo Lam
Sculpture - 27 x 28 x 14 cm Sculpture - 10.6 x 11 x 5.5 inch
Sold
El último viaje del buque fantasma I
Wifredo Lam
Print - 50 x 35.5 x 0.2 cm Print - 19.7 x 14 x 0.1 inch
Sold
Exhibitions dedicated to Wifredo Lam
Discover the movements linked to Wifredo Lam
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Need to know more?
What was Wifredo Lam known for?
Wifredo Lam was known for blending Afro-Cuban culture with Surrealism and Cubism in his paintings. His iconic work, "The Jungle," reflects his unique fusion of modernist styles and Caribbean spiritual symbolism.
How many children did Wifredo Lam have?
Wifredo Lam had one son, Eskil Lam, born in 1959 with his third wife, Swedish artist Lou Laurin-Lam. Eskil Lam is also involved in the arts.
What does the jungle by Wifredo Lam represent?
The Jungle by Wifredo Lam represents the complex identity of Afro-Cuban culture, blending African, Caribbean, and Surrealist influences. The painting critiques colonialism and explores themes of spirituality, hybridity, and cultural transformation.
Who was the Cuban artist like Picasso?
Wifredo Lam is often considered the Cuban artist most comparable to Picasso. His work blends Afro-Cuban culture with modernist styles, and he was influenced by Picasso during his time in Paris.