1This compilation of short studies brings opportunely forward the specific dimensions of abstract art in Latin America during the Cold War period. The contents correspond therefore to a feedback mechanism that goes between the main currents of abstract art (such as Informalism, Geometrism or Lyrical abstraction) and its manifestations and counter-manifestations in Latin American countries.

2Composed by thirteen case studies and a rich introduction, the book is presented in a very synthetic way. Concerning the graphic aspect of the volume, it should be read next to a screen, as there are not sufficient pictures and all are in black and white. Thus, in terms of the overall composition, images miss an essential dimension of abstract art, such as colour. Moreover, in order to enhance consistency, plates should have been preceded by a short explanation and placed at the end of the book (they are at the middle). Moreover, some misprints and the use of first person can be perceived as minor inaccuracies.

3The case studies selected represent the whole spectrum of artistic disciplines (sometimes mixed), a significant number of Latin American countries, and how the different movements evolved in the subcontinent. Moreover, this study re-estimates the weight of the influences from Europe and North America on the artistic expressions of the South. The book allows to examine how the context of the Cold War (and the US grasp in Latin America) influenced the evolution of abstract art; this particular context estranged abstraction from Indigenous and African arts, as the latter were perceived as dangerously leftist. Descriptions in the study do not hide from failure, as shown in the example of

4Carlos Contramaestre losing its medical licence and being incarcerated (p. 42). This negative dimension can also be observed in the lack of acceptance for the abstract art of the audiences in Costa Rica (p. 104) and Colombia (p. 210). Finally, despite a whole chapter on gender dimensions, the presence of women artists in the case studies seems unbalanced; this dimension collides with the majority of female authors and editors.