"Wilfredo Lam (1902-1982) is one of the most important figures of global modernism. Travelling widely over a long career, he became friendly with many of the twentieth century's most significant artists and writers, including Pablo Picasso, André Breton and Aimé Césaire. Born in Cuba, Lam studied in Spain in the 1920s and was swept up in the Spanish Civil War. In France he encountered Picasso and surrealism, before returning to Cuba in 1941. It was there that he developed his characteristic images that suggested the secret religious powers of the descendants of slavery. With its potential to overturn the relationships between European and Caribbean culture, Lam's remarkable pictorial language has resonated on both sides of the Atlantic for more than sixty years. Dazzlingly illustrated whit over 300 works, including paintings, drawings and photographs, this beautiful book serves to introduce newcomers to Lam, as well as deepen the understanding of those already familiar with his work"--Back cover.