Colonial Uses of International Exhibits. The Exposición Iberoamericana 1929-1930

Dublin Core

Title

Colonial Uses of International Exhibits. The Exposición Iberoamericana 1929-1930

Subject

Exposición Iberoamericana

Description

“After 1898, a desire to recreate or reconstruct a new empire that, although African, is documented in political and intellectual metropolitan spheres. A kind of ‘African-American Hispanism’ would emerge, as reflected in some colonial texts from the mid-1920s.”
Luis Ángel Sánchez Gómez

The Exposición Iberoamericana of 1929 was a significant world's fair held in Seville, Spain, aimed at showcasing Spain's cultural, economic, and technological achievements while reinforcing its imperial and colonial interests, particularly in Africa.

Spain, by the early 20th century, had largely lost its American colonies but maintained territories in Africa, including Morocco, Western Sahara, and Equatorial Guinea. The exposition served as a platform to assert Spain's continued relevance as a colonial power and to project an image of cultural and historical continuity with its former American colonies. It emphasized Spain's role as a bridge between Europe and its overseas territories, promoting a narrative of shared heritage and mutual benefit.

Imperially, the fair symbolized Spain's efforts to modernize and consolidate its colonial holdings in Africa amidst increasing challenges and nationalist movements in its territories. It showcased technological advancements and industrial progress as tools for economic development and control over colonial resources.

In relation to Africa, the exposition's imperial agenda was evident in its cultural diplomacy and political symbolism. It aimed to reinforce Spain's territorial claims and authority in North Africa, where it faced resistance and competition from other European powers. The fair projected an image of Spain as a benevolent colonial ruler, fostering economic development and cultural exchange within its African territories.

Overall, the Exposición Iberoamericana of 1929 served as a showcase of Spain's efforts to maintain and extend its imperial influence in the face of decolonization movements worldwide. It used cultural and economic displays to bolster its colonial project in Africa and to assert its position among other European powers in the scramble for colonial dominance.

Creator

Alexis Hernando Cubas

Source

Sánchez Gómez, Luis Á. "África en Sevilla: la exhibición colonial de la Exposición Iberoamericana de 1929." Hispania (Madrid), vol. 66, no. 224, 2006, pp. 1045-1082.

Date

1929

Rights

Gustavo Bacarisas, Poster for the Ibero-American Exposition of 1929. Public Domain

Vicente Traver Tomás, Plano de la Exposición Iberoamericana Americana de 1929 de Sevilla. Public Domain

Relation

Carlos, Abelardo de. Libro De Oro Ibero Americano: Catálogo Oficial Y Monumental De La Exposición De Sevilla. [Santander]: [Aldus, s. a., de artes gráficas], 1929.

Gristwood, Anthony. “Commemorating Empire in Twentieth-Century Seville.” Imperial Cities, 2017, pp. 155–73.

Rodríguez Bernal, Eduardo. Historia de la Exposición Ibero-
Americana de Sevilla de 1929, Sevilla, Servicio de Publicaciones del Ayuntamiento de Sevilla, 1994.

Solano Sobrado, María T. "Antecedentes Históricos De La Exposición Iberoamericana De Sevilla." Cuadernos de historia moderna y contemporánea, vol. 7, 1986, pp. 163. ProQuest, https://proxy.library.upenn.edu/loginurl=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/antecedentes-históricos-de-la-exposición/docview/1292636596/se-2.

Format

Physical Medium

Language

Spain

Coverage

Spain, Equatorial Guinea