WHO
Wifredo Lam

WHAT
The late Cuban-born artist (1902-1982) represents both the synergy and conflict born out of the merging of multiple cultural traditions, with his mother of Afro-Spanish heritage and his father of Cantonese roots. Consisting of a selection of significant paintings and accompanied by prints and personal memorabilia, the retrospective covers a range of the artist’s key artistic periods: from his time in Havana and Spain in the 1920s to 1938; Paris from 1938 to 1940; Marseille in the early 1940s; and Cuba, France, and Italy in the 1950s and 60s.

WHY
The long-deserved exhibition marks the renowned artist’s first major solo retrospective in Hong Kong and also his pivotal return to Asia – tracing his Chinese father’s lineage and studying the significance of the Chinese diaspora. It offers a rare look into the artist’s multi-cultural heritage, beautifully woven into each piece of art. Lam’s distinct style breaks traditional artistic norms, making his work as relevant today as it was during his lifetime. Not to be missed.

Featured image: Wifredo Lam ‘Damballah’ (1947) Oil on canvas. From the collection of Daniel Boulakia.