For many years, Alfredo Boulton (1908–1995) was Venezuela's foremost cultural and aesthetic observer. An art critic, cultural historian, and photographer, he was highly influential in the development of modernist art and discourse in Venezuela and the surrounding region. Boulton's diverse contributions serve as points of departure in this remarkable selection of critical texts by prominent Latin American thinkers, many of which have been reference points for generations of artists, critics, and art historians. Through the manifestos, correspondences, and critical writings, this anthology traces Venezuela's struggle toward modernity and an identity on the international cultural scene. Newly written critical and explanatory essays by contemporary scholars accompany the historical texts, providing context and insight.