Mexican Modern Art

Muralism

In 1921, with the end of the Mexican Revolution and José Vasconcelos as head of the Ministry of Education, a new education policy was launched. The initiative promoted artistic and intellectual creativity. Vasconcelos commissioned artists to create works for public buildings and, as a result, the Mexican School of Painting and the Muralism movement rose to prominence. The quality of the works and the international recognition of the three great ones Orzoco, Rivera, and Siqueiros elevated the movement onto the world art stage. The murals included themes related to historical events such as the Conquest of Mexico, the Independence Movement, the Revolution, the power of the Church, the secular State, class struggle, traditional celebrations, ethnicity, and the Pre-Hispanic past. By using symbols that were easy to decipher, the artists were able to link the subject matter with Mexican nationalism and raise the public’s consciousness of patriotic values and indigenous peoples.

The Mexican School of Painting

The school included traditional genres such as landscapes, frescoes, cityscapes, and portraiture. In the strictest sense it cannot be defined as a “school.” A unified style did not exist, however, the common themes and techniques distinguish it as a group.

Breaking with Tradition

After living in the United States for many years, Rufino Tamayo retuned to Mexico in the 1950’s. He commenced work on two murals in the Palacio de Bellas Artes. Breaking with the establishment, Tamayo’s work did not include social criticism. At this moment, a new movement called “Ruptura” begins. Nationalism continues to play a strong role, however, “Ruptura” allowed young artists to more freely express themselves and offer a counterbalance to the Mexican School. The first artist of this movement is considered to be Juan Soriano.

WORKS CONSULTED:

DEL CONDE, Teresa. Una visita guiada. Breve Historia del Arte Contemporáneo de México. Ed. Grijalbo, México, 2003

ROCHFORT, Desmond. Mexican Muralists. Universe Publishing, N.Y, 1994