Craven argues that the reading of Abstract Expressionism as reflective of Cold War politics in its reinforcement of US imperialist discourse overlooks the decentred, subversive and radical side of this movement. This he explains is reflected in the multicultural roots of AE and the artists interest in non-western art plus the fact that many of its practitioners were left wing or critical of imperialism. Craven supports this argument by the influence of AE in the work of artists in Latin America particularly Nicaragua and Cuba who saw in this style a way to critique USimperialism. He also says that critics like Juan Acha and Marta Traba understoodthe radical edge of AE.(F.M.)