"In this book, Edward J. Sullivan explores the meanings of objects from the Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking regions of the New World, from Cuba to Chile, Sullivan's scope is sweeping, with an ecumenical definition of "objects" encompassing exotica displayed in curiosity cabinets, humans portrayed or even transported as anthropological specimens, and postmodern installation art incorporating found objects. Sullivan shows how the function and value of material things shifted over more than five centuries, as did authority over objects' use and meaning in the artistic sphere. Fine arts and crafts provide a wealth of insights into the interconnected histories of indigenous people, Europeans, Africans, and their descendants in the Americas." "This illustrated volume invites the reader to travel across time and national boundaries to examine an array of extraordinary objects, from Aztec mosaics and colonial ethnographic collections to twenty-first-century sculpture questioning inherited concepts of "Latin American-ness." By looking closely at works of art that privilege the object as a means of reflecting on objects' roles within a larger social context, Sullivan stimulates deeper conversation about the complexities of today's culture of the Americas."--BOOK JACKET.