By: Danielle Danforth -

Origins

The Muralism movement took place in Mexico in the 1920s and 1930s as Mexican artists began to use murals as primary means of expression. Although the movement is primarily recognized as an art movement, it could also be considered a social and political movement. Much of the art produced within this period had strong political undertones—many murals were painted as responses to the Mexican Revolution, drawing upon the sociopolitical situations of the post-revolutionary Mexico. Since the murals were painted in public places, anyone could access the art, regardless of their place in society. Unlike the more contemporary and controversial graffiti movements in Latin America, the muralists of this movement were often commissioned by the government to paint in/on public buildings.

Prominent Figures

Probably the most notable muralist of this era is Diego Rivera. Rivera used fresco painting techniques, which were used for painting primarily on plastered walls or ceilings. Within his murals, River sought to celebrate the cultural heritage of Mexico, which had been trampled on by the Spaniards. The murals that he painted in el Palacio Nacional de Mexico provide great examples of this.

To learn more about those specific murals, check out this cool link: http://www.bluffton.edu/~sullivanm/mexico/mexicocity/rivera/muralsintro.html

To view compilation of all of Rivera’s murals, check out his virtual web museum: http://www.diegorivera.com/murals/

Other prominent artists include Jose Clemente Orozco and David Siqueiros.

Check out these great links to learn more about these famous muralists:

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/jose-clemente-orozco/orozco-man-of-fire/82/ http://www.abcgallery.com/S/siqueiros/siqueiros.html

http://www.mexconnect.com/articles/1064-mexican-muralists-the-big-three-orozco-rivera-siqueiros

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