Course: Introduction to the Hispanic culture through art

*This course is free and on-site. It will be held in English and will take place every Wednesday from May 15th to July 31st, from 18h-19h.

Diana Crespo-Morales

This course aims to provide students with an approach to the history, identity, and culture of the Spanish-speaking world through various forms of art: literature, painting, music, and classic and historical audiovisual materials. Upon these materials, students will write essays, give presentations, organize conversation circles, and take midterm and final exams.

Structure and topics of the course:

• History and Music

- Latin/Hispanic/Ibero-America: linguistic terminology, cultural aspects, and geography.

-Hispanic identity: introduction to the history of Spain through music: Moors, Jews, and Christians in Spain.

-Brief recapitulation of the history of Spain. From the "reconquest" to the Franco regime.

• Audiovisual Arts

-Hispanic-Mexican film to be analysed: "Pan's Labyrinth," directed by Guillermo del Toro.

-Analysis of the work: director, genre, and influences, historical context, the role of women, the role of fantastical creatures, reference to other Spanish artistic works, photography, and international awards.

• Literature

-The Latin American Boom: Gabriel García Márquez, Juan Rulfo, Carlos Fuentes, Jorge Luis Borges. Julio Cortázar, Mario Vargas Llosa, among others.

-Classical literature: Don Quixote, Miguel de Cervantes.

• Painting

-Mexican Muralism: Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, David Alfaro Siqueiros, Juan O'Gorman, José Guadalupe Posada.

-Main exponents of Spanish art: Salvador Dalí's Surrealism, Pablo Picasso's Cubism, Francisco de Goya and his "Black Paintings," Diego Velázquez and Spanish Baroque.

Diana Crespo-Morales

Diana Crespo-Morales, born in Mexico City, has completed her major in Intercultural Development and Management at the Faculty of Philosophy and Literature at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM).

Since 2019, for three years, she served as a research assistant, engaging in numerous academic activities. As a result of her research work, she co-authored a chapter with Dr. Olivia Gall in the book "Primary Education, Racism, and Xenophobia in Mexico," published by UNAM.

In 2020, Diana served as a professor assistant for the course "Socio-politics and Cultural Diversity" and was awarded a scholarship at the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Sciences and Humanities (CEIICH) of UNAM.

From early 2021, Diana collaborated for two years with UNAM Centre for Mexican Studies in Johannesburg and with the University of Cape Town. At both South African institutions, she delivered lectures, courses, and workshops, in addition to organising multiple events on Mexican and Latin American culture and art.

During her nearly three years in South Africa, she coordinated cultural campaigns such as the "Hispanic Fest" and "Live Mexico," aimed at promoting Hispanic culture abroad. She curated art exhibitions like "Colonized (Dis) Textiles: Identity, Decolonization, and ‘Glocality’", held in Pretoria. At the University of Cape Town, Diana also presented analyses of literary works such as Octavio Paz's "The Labyrinth of Solitude", engaging students in discussions on Mexican history and identity.

In 2021, Diana published two articles in the electronic magazine Rebelion.org and one in UNAM’s Gazette. In October of the same year, she was invited to participate in Radio UNAM's program "Possible Worlds" with the segment "The African National Congress and the Multiculturalism of South Africa: Achievements and Contradictions."

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Event Venue & Nearby Stays

King's College London, Waterloo Campus, Franklin Wilkins Building, Room G.50A, Stamford Street, London, United Kingdom