Category: Uncategorized

(photo taken from https://www.nps.gov/nr/Travel/American_Latino_Heritage/The_Epic_of_American_Civilization_Murals.html)

Revolutionary Mexico:

The Mexican Revolution was integral to the development and popularity of the Mexican muralist movement. The Revolution was near and dear to every citizen - each person could see it play out first hand. Every citizen had an opinion about what was happening in his/her country. The muralists, most notably Los Tres Grandes, were the ones that brought the revolution to the every day person. With the stroke of a brush, they themselves created a cultural revolution. You do not need to know how to read and write in order to observe and think about the murals properly. The murals were a universal way for all citizens to come together.

I do think there are parallels between the artistic representations of Los Tres Grandes and the novel The Underdogs. In the novel, Demetrio is an example of the common man that is depicted in many of the murals. There is also a lot of violence shown throughout the novel, and the murals portray violent scenes and images of warfare.

 

Revolutionary Mexican Artists:

Although all of the Los Tres Grandes were incredibly revolutionary in their own way, I believe that José Clemente Orozco stands out the most. While Siqueiros and Rivera were definitely more politically active, Orozco stands out because of his work. In most of his pieces, Orozco depicts a very controversial image in a way that can be interpreted in multiple ways. For example, his work Cortez and Malinche shows a very white Cortez seated with an indigenous woman, Malinche. They are known as the parents of the very first Mestizo. This image doesn't show a definite argument by Orozco. It does, however, open up a discussion among the people viewing the artwork. Is Cortez exerting power over Malinche because of his outstretched arm? Is he protecting her? Does the joining of their hands show a union between them?

What is so revolutionary in my mind about Orozco is that his work allows there to be a discussion about things that matter. Different opinions can come together before one piece of art and people can talk about what each thinks is happening.

On transforming public spaces at Dartmouth College and elsewhere:

I think that the purpose of public art is to create conversation among the public it is being presented to. Public art in my mind is something that allows people to come together and share their opinions on certain topics. These conversations can vary from surface level subjects to deeper topics. This also plays into the role of museums. Museums allow society to come together into a space specifically meant to have these discussions and discoveries.

I believe the Mexican muralists, as well as Walter Beach Humphrey, all wanted to evoke emotions in their audience. They wanted to bring up these kind of conversations they felt needed to be had. They are great representations of this, as they each had their own story they felt they needed to tell.

What is most important in my mind about public art is that it allows people to talk to each other about difficult subjects. The images that are created almost give people permission to ask hard questions. It lets people think about issues and then be open to talk with each other about them. Great artists give people this "permission" to do just that.