“Tate Modern presents a retrospective of the Cuban modernist painter, Wifredo Lam (1902–1982), the first museum exhibition in London since 1952. Including over 200 paintings, drawings, photographs and prints, the exhibition traces his six decade career from the 1920s to the 1970s, confirming his place at the centre of a cosmopolitan modernism. His work defined new ways of painting for a post-colonial world and was greeted with both consternation and acclaim during his lifetime. As a Latin American artist of Chinese, Spanish and African heritage, Lam lies between East and West, combining traditional practices, surrealist ideas and complete originality. In an increasingly connected world, Lam’s work brings a historical perspective to contemporary issues.” — Tate Modern

Wifredo Lam, The Sombre Malembo, God of the Crossroads, 1943. The Rudman Trust © SDO Wifredo Lam

Wifredo Lam, Bélial, Emperor of the Flies, 1948. Private collection © SDO Wifredo Lam

Wifredo Lam, Horse-Headed Woman, 1950. The Rudman Trust © SDO Wifredo Lam

Wifredo Lam, Umbral (Seuil), 1950. Photo: Georges Meguerditchian/Centre Pompidou, MNAM-CCI/Dist. RMN-GP ©Adagp, Paris

The EY Exhibition: Wifredo Lam is curated by Matthew Gale, Head of Displays, Tate Modern and Catherine David, General Curator, Centre Pompidou / Musée national d’art moderne, Pariswith Katy Wan, Assistant Curator, Tate Modern. The exhibition is organised by the Centre Pompidou, Musée National d’Art Moderne, Paris, in collaboration with the Tate Modern and the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, Madrid.

Images courtesy Tate Modern.