Latin America can be proud of the rich heritage of muralists and artists throughout its history. I am especially stuck by the technical brilliance of Diego Rivera and the bold and brutally honest self reflection of Frida Kahlo.
Diego Rivera: His work is not only aesthetically striking, but it also incorporates historical context and social issues relevant for his day. From a technical perspective the pain-staking detail and grandness of his murals are an astonishing artistic achievement to behold. His frescos remind me of the great Italian renaissance painter Michelangelo in both their technical proficiency and subject matter. Below are two of my favourite examples of his work that display his technical brilliance and social/historical commentary.
Exploitation of Mexico by Spanish Conquistadors - This painting showcases Rivera's technical ability and attention to detail, while displaying his social conscience in his subject matter. A commentary on the brutal subjugation of the indigenous Mexican people by the Spanish.
Exploitation of Mexico by Spanish Conquistadors, Mexico City - Palacio Nacional.
Mural (1929-1945) by Diego Rivera
Detroit Industry - Again note the exquisite attention to detail and impressive laer-than-life scope of his work. A social commentary on the capitalist establishment in the United States by the openly communist artist.
Detroit Industry, Detroit Institute of Arts. Mural (1932-1933) by Diego Rivera
Frida Kahlo: What she may have lacked in technical proficiency relative to the great masters, she more than made up for with her bold, honest and provocative style. Her self-portraits are deeply honest and boldly evoke the pain of the human condition without compromise. Her prolific work as an artist is all the more remarkable given the struggles with her health throughout her life and her complete lack of formal training. Below are two of my favourite examples that illustrate the boldness and pathos her work displays.
The Broken Column - A brutally expressive self portrait examining her personal emotional and physical pain.The broken column representing the physical pain throughout her life as a result of her shattered spine from a bus accident at an early age. The nails representative of her emotional pain. The largest one to her heart depicting her tumultuous relationship with Diego Rivera.
The Broken Column, Self-Portrait by Frida Kahlo 1944
The Two Fridas - Another stark and honest reflective self portrait. The two Fridas representing her two selves, the European and Latin Frida. Both Fridas shown us having been stripped of their heart and identity.
The Two Fridas, Self-Portrait by Frida Kahlo 1939
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