In this article, defined by its author as “of a utopian nature,” artist and critic Galaor Carbonell analyzes the limitations, objectives, methodology, and functions of a cultural magazine that could operate in Latin America from a sociological and anthropological perspective, and in relation to its “eventual impact on our identity.” The fundamental argument is that art arises from art forms belonging to the “cultural infrastructure” and not from the superstructure. Carbonell maintains that the creative potential and reality of Latin America can be found in its social groups, as there is now [in 1978] a new urban population of rural people who have migrated to cities.

This text by Galaor Carbonell (1938–92), a Colombian artist and critic born in Cuba, stands out from the others at the Encuentro, because documents whose topic is publishing are rare in Latin America. Nevertheless, its reach is very limited, given that it is focused on a radically populist and sociological vision. The author imparts a critical vision of the present and an optimistic one of the future—a vision that he himself recognizes as “utopian,” impossible to pinpoint to one specific place. Despite this limitation, it is important to include the topic of the public in events of this type, especially ones that refer to the rise of new social groups, given that most presentations generally refer to art and the artistic endeavor. Carbonell calls attention to the need to look after those populations that migrate from the country to the city and to the most dispossessed in general.

The Primer Encuentro Iberoamericano de Críticos de Arte y Artistas Plásticos was held in 1978, at the Museo de Bellas Artes de Caracas. In addition to Galaor Carbonell, other important figures in art and art criticism participated, including Jorge Alberto Manrique, Marta Traba (“La tradición de lo nacional” [doc. no. 815744]), Juan Acha (“La actual división técnica del trabajo artístico en América Latina” [doc. no. 815489]), Julio Le Parc (“Interrogantes” [doc. no. 815575]), Adelaida de Juan (“Cuba: revolución y plástica” [doc. no. 815544]), Carlos Rodríguez Saavedra, Jacqueline Barnitz, Berta Taracena (“Elementos constantes en el arte iberoamericano” [doc. no. 815558]), Antonio Berni (“No puedo dejar de destacar la importancia de este encuentro” [doc. no. 815659]), Roberto Montero Castro (“Arte e identidad: métodos institucionales en el desarrollo cultural venezolano [doc. no. 815631]), Marco Miliani, Alirio Rodríguez, Jorge Glusberg (“Aproximación metodológica para una comprensión de la retórica del arte latinoamericano” [doc. no. 815475]), Élida Román (“El rol del crítico” [doc. no. 815617]), Ida Rodríguez Prampolini (“Dadá y América Latina” [doc. no. 815758]), Carlos Areán (“Iberoamérica y su identidad artística y cultural” [doc. no. 815730]), Roberto Pontual and Aracy A. Amaral.

The “Austin Symposium” was an important forerunner to this event. The Symposium was organized by Damián C. Bayón and held at the University of Texas at Austin in late October 1975. Many of the participants at the 1978 Encuentro had attended the Austin Symposium, which provided a common ground for the discussion. Bayón later published a book on this event, El artista latinoamericano y su identidad (Caracas: Monte Ávila Editores, Colección Estudios, 1977; 150 pages, illustrated in black and white).

It is important to note that the lectures delivered at the Museo de Bellas Artes in 1978 had not been published at that point, though some were subsequently included in monographs or anthologies. They therefore possess great documentary value as primary source material.