The Muralists

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Art and Politics of Latin America

• The Muralists

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Why Look at Art?

• Art is Communication

• Artists Communicate their Viewpoints Influence
  People and Ideas

• Looking at the Work of Various Artists Gives a
  Wider Perspective on a Culture and its Times

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What is a Mural?

• A Painting Done on a Large Scale, Usually on or
  in a Structure

• Murals Usually Depict Historical, Classical or
  Political Themes

• Where in Silverdale do You See Murals?

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MURALS and the MEXICAN REVOLUTION MEXICAN
MURALISM The first major movement in modern art
to originate outside Europe, started because of
the Mexican Revolution (1910).
Who Painted Them and Why are they Important?
Three Greats
Tres Grandes
Diego Rivera, Jose Orozco and David Siqueiros
were the three main muralists of the time.
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The Challenge for these Artists
How to rebuild the country, based on its own
roots and then find a place for the indigenous
groups and peasants in the process.
And, how to convey this rebirth to the rest of
the world.
Or, how to jumpstart a Mexican Renaissance
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Minister for Education, Jose Vasconcelos involved
creative artists from all the media in the
reconstruction of Mexicos Identity
SO, WHAT DID THESE IMAGES LOOK LIKE?
Dynamic Figures
Strong Colors Emphatic Compositions
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Their works are vividly colored compositions,
celebrating the liberation of the masses and
crowded with stylized figures and motifs that
recall pre-Columbian Mexican temple and palace
frescos.
Accident in the Mine, Rivera
Dividing the Land, Rivera
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Art of the Tres Grandes was based on the
political and social conditions of the times.
El Coronolazo, Rivera
Strong, Directional Composition and
Color Expressionistic in Style
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Good Government, Rivera
What Symbolism does the Artist Use? What does he
think about the government?
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Man at the Crossroads, Rivera
Riveras work used Pre-Columbian narrative
reliefs, and took elements from the Cubists,
Gauguin, Rousseau and 15th century Italian fresco
painting. He was very political. One mural for
Rockefeller Center in New York was destroyed
before it was done. He refused to remove a
likeness of Lenin.
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Martyrs, Rivera
Surrealism, or dream imagery, influenced the
muralists. What symbolic purpose do these buried
peasants serve?
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Struggle in the Occident Carrillo Puerto and
Lenin in the Bolshevic Revolution, Orozco
Cool to Warm Colors, Sharp/Hard Edges,
Repetition, Historical Icons
The muralists believed mural painting was the
only true art, with the purpose of educating
people, portraying what the people believed in
and setting ideals for the people.
It challenged what was going on in Europe at the
time.
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Diego Rivera, Jose Orozco and David Siqueiros did
NOT hold identical political views.
The Fraternity of All Men at the Table of
Brotherhood and Ultimate Universality, Orozco
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All three used themes of Rewriting
History Commenting on Social and Political
Issues Creating a Common National Identity
A Call for Revolution and Universal Brotherhood,
Orozco
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The Allegory of Science, Labor and Art, Orozco
Is this piece realistic, or stylized? Orozco
seemed to indicate that through work in science,
labor and art we can build for ourselves a better
future.
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Struggle in the Orient Slavery, Imperialism
Ghandi
What are the symbols of Labor in this Piece? If
you read this left to right, what story is it
telling?
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An easel painting, based on a news photo of a
wailing child abandoned in the ruins of bombed
Manchurian railroad station. Why is this piece
so powerful?
Echo of a Scream, Siqueiros
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The Mexican people were strongly affected by the
work of the tres Grandes Why? If you were
going to create a socio/political mural today,
how would it look? What message would you try to
communicate? Where would you paint it?