Since the 1980s there has been considerable interest in Mexico and its art, as one can see from the sheer number of exhibitions, catalogues, and articles devoted to the subject. Despite this interest, there are few books devoted to contemporary Mexican art. New Tendencies in Mexican Art is the first book-length study devoted to a generation of Mexican artists who have had enormous international success. It focuses on several 'tendencies' Gallo has identified as prominent themes in the work of these artists including orientalism, perversion, and a fascination with urban culture.

Essays on 20th Century Latin American Art provides a broad synthesis of the subject through short chapters illustrated with reproductions of iconic works by artists who have made significant contributions to art and society. Designed as a teaching tool for non-art historians, the book's purpose is to introduce these important artists within a new scholarly context and recognize their accomplishments with those of others beyond the Americas and the Caribbean. The publication provides an in-depth analysis of topics such as political issues in Latin American art and art and popular culture, introducing views on artists and art-related issues that have rarely been addressed. Organized both regionally and thematically, it takes a unique approach to the exploration of art in the Americas, beginning with discussions of Modernism and Abstraction, followed by a chapter on art and politics from the 1960s to the 1980s. The author covers Spanish-speaking Central America and the Caribbean, regions not usually addressed in Latin American art history surveys. The chapter on Carnival as an expression of popular culture is a particularly valuable addition. This book will be of interest to students and scholars of Latin American history, culture, art, international relations, gender studies, and sociology, as well as Caribbean studies.