Who Is Diego Rivera Colonize Mexico?

“Break with the past but not tradition” in order to reject colonialism (Kettenmann 23) was Diego Rivera’s unique style when painting the murals. As mentioned previously he did not want Mexico to be remembered through the loss, but be remembered as a country who is looking forward. To do that Rivera had to toss out the old depiction of Mexico who was created by those who colonized them in order to create the new identity (Wolfe 143). Diego Rivera’s unique style showcased his political viewpoints in his painting; he showed the symbolism of Mexico’s culture through his display of: Indigenous Mexicans, battles, Mexican Revolution, and mixing race (Kettman 42). Rivera through his mural work. He painted about the treatment of the indigenous people
This fueled him to paint in order to make Mexico’s voice heard and show how Mexico can be a better country (Wolfe 66). Like I said Rivera wanted to create this new identity so he did not paint the indigenous as outsiders or foreigners to their land, but gave them a sense of inclusion or acceptance in the new order that he was trying to create. Even though Rivera went to Europe look for new techniques to help him paint (Arquin 61), Rivera adapted a new style--the Mexican Style -- which was colorful art and showcased the events as hopeful (Arquin 81). Rivera did not want to focus on the elite. He chose to diverge from that to showcase the rural peasant and the working class. He painted on the treatment of the poor and how they were oppressed workers, but most importantly he tried to capture in his murals the everyday beauty of Mexico’s labor in and out of the fields. These murals sprouted cultural change. Diego Rivera’s unique way of depicting Mexico is what made him grow popularity with indigenous people and Mexican people from all different economic class (Kettenmann