Mexican Muralism

The portrayal and the representation of the Chicano Art Movements are entrenched by the Mexican-American artist who institute artistic personalities and identities in the United States. The plenteous amount of the artist is massively influenced by the immense Chicano Movement (El Movimiento) which, was established in the 1960’s. The influence of Chicano Art was due to the Mexican- Revolution philosophy, art of Pre-Columbia and indubitably European techniques of painting, cultural, social, political issues. The movement took a stand to fight against stereotypes of Mexican- Americans conducive and to resist typical social norms. The movement to concentrate on awareness of collective history, equal opportunity, grants and social mobility. Chicanos have used the movement in pursuit of expressing their cultural values. Ever since it first appeared in America the art of Chicanos has matured to illustrate common struggle and social issues in conjunction with uniting the youth of the Chicano people to their culture and history. Chicano Art is not only Mexican- American artwork; it further emphasizes and accentuates the histories of the Chicano people in a superb and sublime way of American art.

Jose Orozco was an influential social realist painter who painted his most celebrated murals after the Mexican Revolution. His murals (and other Mexican artists’ work) inspired the political programs by Franklin D Roosevelt, in the United States, to encourage the employment of unemployed Mexican artists through the development of the Public Works for Artist Project that was under the Work Administration Program.

This painting, The Woman Grinding Maize, shows what a lot of people feel about work; even though you don’t like it you still have to do it. The woman face expression demonstrates sadness, exhaustion and pain. I can see how she doesn’t have the best job but she still does her job with pride. This painting teaches me that I have to do the best job no matter how much I dislike it and take pride in what I do. Rivera really demonstrates these feelings in the woman grinding the maize, she is looking down with almost seems her to be nearly closed; her back is gloomed hunch backing down. Diego Rivera shaded her face down darker than the rest of her body to emphasize the sadness in her work. So based on all those details I feel as Rivera demonstrated these feeling openly. When I see this painting I see exactly what Diego is showing, the day-to-day life of a working woman.

Her paintings represented “the cultural nationalism of [Mexico]” (Meadows). She had a strong artistic style in which she showed her Mexican patriotism and her communist ideals. In addition, she also made political statements on the U.S. and the industrialization.

Diego Rivera was known for a muralist of the Mexican Social Realism. This movement was the brutality of WWI. It attacked capitalist. Rivera was a communist, he believed in the common ownership in social, political, and economic ideology that strived to maintain social order. One example of this

After the Mexican Revolution, which took place from 1910 - 1920, Mexican art saw a change in the type of art being created. Although the focus of creating art with an indigenous and Mexican theme continued, the country saw a shift to art presenting socialist ideals. The government saw value in working with local artist and commissioning them to create murals that would influence their political agendas. However, what these murals mostly did was strengthen the Mexican culture and bring pride to the indigenous heritage. Although this time period has come and gone, its influence over Mexican art and culture is still very apparent today and can even be seen in Mexican American communities today.

country of Mexico showcasing what Mexico has to offer. Showing how the art of the ancient people are expressed. Being taken over by the Spanish colonial towns are seen in Mexico’s capital Mexico City. Located in Mexico City a lot can be find influencing their art, shops, renowned museums and very good tasty restaurants to modern life, as well showing their ancient art of the ancient civilizations, and ancient culture. The earliest real civilization in Mexico was the Olmec culture which came from of the Gulf Coast from around 1500 BCE.

Murals are the quintessential public art embodying the spirit of the community in which they are created. They say this is who we are, this is what we think, this is where we come from, and this is what we want, reflecting most clearly any changes in the sociopolitical environment. Murals lay out a powerful visual image of the ideology of their creators or sponsors, be it the Church during the Renaissance, government funded projects, or individuals expressing opposition. In Mexico, after the Mexican Revolution of 1917, the government commissioned a vast number of mural projects to transmit its revisionist history of the country, and celebrate the empowerment of the underclass in their recent victory. Predominate themes were cultural

After the Mexican Revolution of 1910, a nationalistic sentiment spread throughout Mexico as they sought to form a unified identity under its new constitution. Under the new organization of the country, Mexico underwent many political and social changes, many of them violent. At the turn of the 20th century, Mexican nationalism was of the utmost importance. Finally, the masses of Mexican poor began to have a voice in their own destiny and began to seek out a national identity. In order to be fully immersed in an identity that seemed ambiguous due to centuries of colonization, Mexico looked to the arts to help mold Mexico’s new character as a country. Muralists like Rivera, Siqueiros, Orozco and Khalo portrayed the struggle for freedom and democracy against the oligarchs that had exploited the poor for decades. Music also played a pivotal role in expressing nationalistic views and ideas through movements such as the traditional and the “indigenismo”. One of the composers who was at the forefront of the “indigenismo” movement was Carlos Chávez. Chávez strived to distance himself from romantic influences and practices, and searched for new methods to create pieces that were for everyone, not just the elite. Chavez’s investigation of indigenous Indian cultures, native folk elements, and dance forms brought an unprecedented vigor and visibility to 20th century Mexican Music. Chávez traveled to Europe and the United States to gain recognition beyond Mexico’s border, thus catapulting his influence on Mexico’s musical style and cultures.

     Public art conquers so much more than the simple task of making the street a little easier to look at. It involves those who created it, those who supplied the means to create it, and those whose lives it continues to impact. Wall paintings in particular take an important role in working for a greater good. Judith F. Baca, a Hispanic-American woman and artist- activist has contributed an unaccountable amount to the mural movement in Los Angeles. She has accomplished this by giving individuals the chance to create art and develop a sense of pride, she has taught younger generations a respect for their ethnic identity, and from the many walks of life that continue to view her

Artists such Diego Rivera, Jose Clemente Orozco, and David Alfaro Siqueiros had different styles, but their murals shared a similar message that, “intended to change consciousness and promote political action” (Goldman, 245). One mural in particular that connotes and promotes the idea of intersectional resistance is David Alfaro Siqueiros’ mural Cuauhtémoc Against the Myth. The epic mural was created in

In the essay “Description and criticism of the three murals by Rivera” I was astonished through the murals were described. The symbolism and the comprehensive manner, the murals were defined. The way the paintings were able to revive, the power of the revolutions within Mexicans. I enjoyed reading this because I was able to identify a profound meaning on the circumstances Mexico went through after several difficult and challenging obstacles Mexico’s revolution. The murals and symbolism were another way to view the suffering and the society that went through political struggles. Through the use of colors and body language to understand the mural, it was a sophisticated manner to approach the story behind the Mexico revolution.

Hispanic art, food, and entertainment all have a common theme; they are all fun, light-hearted, yet fulfilling and rich in cultural heritage. On one side, Mexican culture in particular loves to make fun of itself. There are many depictions in song and art of lazy Mexicans in large sombreros with thick mustaches eating burritos. On the other hand artists like Diego Rivera paint large murals depicting rich historical events like the revolution, in bold colors on controversial topics (This Old, n.d.).

Bright colors jumping at you asking for attention, images so real viewers can not tell the difference. These are the thoughts that came to my head as I gazed at two works of art by two Mexican artists at MoLAA museum of art . I visited two museums, Bowers Museum of cultural Art in the heart of Southern California and the Museum of Latin American Art in Long Beach for my report unfortunately I only liked the works in MoLAA and will talk about it through out my paper. I will talk about two Mexican artists Rafael Cauduro and David Alfaro Siqueros that caught my eye, and made me want to learn more of them and their approach to art. Siqueiros caught my eye and interest because according to his biography “no

Well known Diego Rivera, has recently finished his latest mural that has been in progress for since 1921. Covering over one thousand square feet and stretching twelve feet high, It sits in San Ildefonso college in Mexico City. This is Rivera's very first government commissioned mural. Rivera used an encaustic medium meaning, different pigments were suspended in molten wax. A complex technique that was started by the Egyptians.