Beginning in 1851, Latin American countries sought to project the image of a “modern nation” on the international stage of the World’s Fairs, combining universal notions of progress and civilization with country-specific elements. However, despite the rhetoric of international understanding and peaceful cooperation prevalent at the fairs, these events were also pervaded by the geopolitical realities of the time. Latin America”s ambivalent position between the European colonies and the great powers became especially visible in the façade of their national pavilions, introduced at the 1867 Paris Fair. Either they could obtain recognition by celebrating the “authentic” through pre-Columbian-style buildings—thereby risking marginalization for their “exoticism”—or they could emulate “European civilization,” while risking cultural invisibility, as was frequently the case with pavilions inspired by the neo-classical canon. This chapter provides an overview of Latin American exhibition architecture between 1867 and 1939, when the World’s Fairs became the most influential mass-gathering events.
