Exploring cutting-edge techniques and daring themes, many Latin American artists seamlessly intertwine aesthetic refinement with biting critiques of social and political issues.Contingent Beauty assembles major works by more than 20 such artists who have made significant contributions to the global art scene over the past 30 years. Encompassing a variety of media—including painting, drawing, sculpture, and video—the majority of these innovative works are culled from the holdings of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, which possesses an exceptional collection of contemporary Latin American art.
 
These objects, while formally sophisticated and alluring, are not ends unto themselves but rather tools intended to heighten viewers’ awareness of critical factors that shape the lives of these artists, such as poverty, gender, political repression, the war on drugs, and globalization. In some instances, the “beauty” of these works is contingent upon cultural interpretation. Tensions between beauty and violence, seduction and repulsion, elegance and brutality contribute to the enduring impact of this art and provide a revelatory experience for readers.

“Words alone do not do Cuba justice. They depict only fragments of her mystery and beauty, her strength and fragility, her spirit and song. And so I turn to my cameras . . .”—from the introduction,Embracing Cuba
 
“Motley’s images of Cuba’s people, arts, design, and public life are remarkable.”—Ellen M. Harrington, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
 
“One can immediately look at Motley’s photographs and feel the spirit of the Cuban people.”—Gil Garcetti, UNESCO-IHE cultural ambassador
 
“These beautiful photographs bring back many memories of Cuba—my people, my childhood, and so many beautiful moments that passed growing up in my beloved land.”—Yasiel Puig, Los Angeles Dodgers all-star outfielder
 
“A work of heart and soul.”—Richard Schweid, author of Che’s Chevrolet, Fidel’s Oldsmobile
 
“The powerful photographs give wonderful insight into the lives of everyday people on the island with rich colors, abstract and complex scenes, humor, and energy.”—Ilene Perlman, photographer
 
Intrigued by tales of his parents’ long-ago journey to the pre-revolutionary “Pearl of the Antilles,” award-winning photographer Byron Motley traveled to Cuba more than a decade ago and instantly fell in love. Year after year he has returned with his camera to explore its vistas, its people, and its spirit.

Forgoing the political imagery that has dominated American media, Motley highlights the many ways in which Cubans retain and nourish their zest for life despite the scarcity of every day. Through his vivid photographs, readers discover the real Cuba: its heart-stopping architecture and infectious energy, its cars seemingly teleported from the past, its love of baseball so fierce as to be nearly religious, the joy of community, and the unexpected juxtapositions of life in the last bastion of communism in the Western world.

Even before the easing of travel restrictions, Motley’s personal relationships with key dignitaries provided him with unprecedented access in Havana, allowing him to capture the allure, the mystique, and the vibrant essence of Cuba.