Mexican Muralism
Mexican muralism offers us one of the most politically charged and expressive art forms of the 20th century. David Alfaro Siqueiros and Jose Clemente Orozco are two of the three so called triumvirate of Mexican Muralists, the third being Diego Rivera. Both of the artists have a unique style and a strong sense of morals and political ideals. Their styles are similar in the sense of the amount of expression and movement in their pieces They also share a common ideology that shows up often in their work. Siqueiros’ Portrait of the Bourgeoisie and New Democracy along with Orozco’s American Civilization and Catharsis show you a great cross section of Mexican Muralism, revealing the passions and beliefs of the time period.
In order to understand the Mexican muralists, one must first understand the Mexican Revolution. Among the revolutions of the twentieth century, the Mexican Revolution is a unique historical phenomenon. “It wasn’t merely a revolt; it was an uprising of underground Mexican culture. It revealed a new and democratic Mexico; a Mexico that took an interest in culture and art.”(Paz 115) It was the first time that Mexicans took charge of Mexico. “They called on their indigenous roots as a means to recapture their country.”(Paz 115) The Minister of Public Education, José Vasconcelos, summoned artists to collaborate in the task of remaking Mexico. The Revolution can be likened to the idea of the Italian Renaissance; it was a complete rebirth of culture. “Traditional songs and dances were taught to school children, popular art was extolled, books and magazines were published, and walls were assigned to one painter or another.”(Paz 115) This was the birth of Mexican Muralism. Mexican Muralists also owe their roots to the European artistic revolution of the twentieth century, namely the Romantics. The Romantics were the first to show the world the arts and traditions of other cultures. “Without the modern artists of the West who made the totality of non Western
In order to understand the Mexican muralists, one must first understand the Mexican Revolution. Among the revolutions of the twentieth century, the Mexican Revolution is a unique historical phenomenon. “It wasn’t merely a revolt; it was an uprising of underground Mexican culture. It revealed a new and democratic Mexico; a Mexico that took an interest in culture and art.”(Paz 115) It was the first time that Mexicans took charge of Mexico. “They called on their indigenous roots as a means to recapture their country.”(Paz 115) The Minister of Public Education, José Vasconcelos, summoned artists to collaborate in the task of remaking Mexico. The Revolution can be likened to the idea of the Italian Renaissance; it was a complete rebirth of culture. “Traditional songs and dances were taught to school children, popular art was extolled, books and magazines were published, and walls were assigned to one painter or another.”(Paz 115) This was the birth of Mexican Muralism. Mexican Muralists also owe their roots to the European artistic revolution of the twentieth century, namely the Romantics. The Romantics were the first to show the world the arts and traditions of other cultures. “Without the modern artists of the West who made the totality of non Western
Cited: Ades, Dawn. Eds. Jose Clemente Orozco. London: W.W. Norton & Company. 2002. Arnason, H.H. History of Modern Art. 5th ed. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall. 2004. Paz, Octavio. Essays on Mexican Art. Trans. Helen Lane. New York: Harcourt Brace & Company. 1993. Rochfort, Desmond. Mexican Muralists. San Francisco: Chronicle Books. 1993.