Impact of the Mexican Revolution on the Arts

Murals: Rivera, Orozco, Siqueiros

Mahon 2011

Music

Literature

Educational reforms of Vasconcelos

Ideas of the Revolution: SPIRE • Social – new Mexican

identity – mestizo blend

• Political – rejection of dictatorship

• Ideological – socialism, communism, anarchy

• Religious – role of the church

• Economic – land & labor reform

Siqueiros, From the Dictatorship of Porfirio Diaz to the Revolution—The People in Arms (detail), 1957–65

New Ideas

• Communism – Karl Marx, resources are held in common

(ejidos)

• Socialism – both private & public

• Anarchy – no gov’t is needed

Diego Rivera Paisaje Zapatista (Zapatist Landscape) 1915

Educating for the Revolution,1921Jose Vasconcelos, Minister of Education

Article 3 of constitution

70-80% illiteracy rate

Objective: Forge a national identity

Obregon

Carranza

Tools: Schools - 50% increase, Libraries – ~2,000

& Fine arts - academy, conservatory & symphony

Mestiso, unique blend of races = La raza cosmica (cosmic race)

Stabilize

1 million dead

Popular Music of the Revolution:Corridos – voice of the common man •Simple, poetic form & basic music•Common language•Themes – heroes; fighting unjust authority•1st stanza provides a setting for the story•Structure: 6 stanzas of 6 lines each (New Corrido of Madero) OR•9 stanzas of 4 lines each (Tillers of the Land (Track 6)

Pablo Picasso. Three Musicians, 1921

Nuevo Corrido De MaderoNew Corrido of Madero (Track 9)

LA 4/25/1930

En mil novecientos diez, en la suida de San LuisExpidio su plan MaderoPa Porfirio combatir:Empezo por Ciudad JuaezA recorrer el pais.

Ah, que Madero tan hombre,Le conozco sus acciones!Derecho se fue a la carcelA echar fuera las prisiones:Virgen Santa ‘e GuadalupeLo Ilene de bendiciones.

Aqui me siento a cantarEstos versos familiares:Comenzare con la muerteDe Madero y Pino Suarez,Que a Mexico traicionaronEsas fuerzas federales.

In nineteen hundred and ten, In the city of San Luis (Potosi),Madero set up his plan To battle Porfirio (Diaz):He set out from Ciudad Juarez On a nationwide campaign.

What a man Madero was? I know his deeds,He went straight to the jailsAnd set free the prisoners,May the Saintly Virgin of GuadalupeFill him with blessings.

Here I sit to sing,These familiar lyrics,I’ll begin with the deathsOf Maderso and Pino SuarezAnd how those federal forcesBetrayed Mexico.

La viuda le dice a HuertaQue no subiera al sillonQue no despues anduvieraCon dolor de corazon,Porque alla viene CarranzaCon nueva revolucion.

Carranza Le Puso un parte,Que no perdia la esperanzaDe tumbarlo de la sillaCon su punal y su lanza,Para que gritaran todos:-Muchachos, viva Carranza!-

Pancho Villa y Maytorena,Que en el norte se voltearon,Reconocieron las causasQue de un prencipio pelearon,Y se unieron al partidoQue ellos mismos derrotaron.

The widow (of Madero) told Huerta Not to assume the presidential seat,Because it would end up breaking his heart,And Carranza was coming right behind With another revolution.

Carranza sent (Huerta) a messageSaying he didn’t lose hopeOf toppling his governmentBy sword and knife,So that everyone would shout:“Viva Caranza!”

Pancho Villa and Maytorena,Who switched sides up North,Acknowledged those they had originally fought against And joined the forcesThey had once defeated.

Music

El Corrido Del AgraristaTillers of the Land (Track 6)

New York, 08/1929Let us march, agaristas, to the fields,To sow the seeds of progress,Let us march always united, without fail,Working for the peace of our nation.

We don’t want any more dissension among brothers,Let us forget our ill feelings, friends,Let the granaries be filled with wheatAnd may our long-awaited redemption arrive.

I shall sing the songOf the agarista,It will tell you many truths,Capitalist gentlemen.

This is the song of the poorWho work in the fields,Of those of us who sweat To work our land.

For a long time we’ve suffered the slavery of the vanquishedUntil we finally could seeOur people together.

Ay, ay, ay…Struggling for our dreamsMany of our brothers died,May God have them in heaven.

Porfirio and his governmentFormed by dictatorsNever listened to the complainsAnd demands of the people.

Always work, and more work,And always owing to the company

store,And when harvest time cameThe sharecropper ended up losing.

Our hovels and shacksWere always filled with grief,We lived like animalsSurrounded by wealth.

Ay, ay, ay…etc.

Spoken:The tenth parterIf to an inn or caféA poor man arrivesImmediately a servan comes outSaying: “you have to wait.”But if it is a rich manWho asks for a meanl or a drink,They say: “ May I help you, sir, Please order, what will you have?’Because in this establismentThe poor man is out of place.”

The ranchers, on the other hand,Owners of life and land,Acted with indifference,Without hearing our complaints.

Music

Classical – The Symphonic Voice• Carlos Chavez – composer (1899-1978)

• 1921 - Mexican nationalist music with Aztec themes

• Elevates indigenous

musical elements– Rhythms– Sounds– Instruments

Music

Silvestre Revueltas – composer (1899-1949)

• Colleague of Chavez

• Movie, Redes, 1934 – community fights corruption

Music

Literature – Voice of the Educated

• Mariano Azuela (1875-1952)

• Los de abajo [the Underdogs] (1915)

Martin Luis Guzman (1887-1976)La sombra del caudillo (1929) critique of Calles’ regime

Rivera´s paintings with Poncho Villa and Zapata, National Palace

The Visual Arts - Muralists

RiveraSiqueiros

Orozco

Post-Revolutionary Art of Mexico

LEADER: Gerardo Murillo, Dr. Atl (1875-1964)

• Academy of San Carlos

• Cooperative works

• Murals, art for the public

• National identity in

indigenous cultures

• Art as a force for change– 1914 supports Carranza

against Villa/ZapataSelf-portrait

Visual Arts

Realism - Associated with:

Salvador Murillo El Puente del Chiquihuite (The Chiquihuite Bridge) ca. - 1875 – Porfiriato 1876 -1910

Positivism

Stepping stones to knowledge

supplied thru observing & measuring

& Porfirio Diaz’s cientificos

Science = path to knowledge

(Empirical knowledge)

Visual Arts

Diego Rivera

Diego Rivera,,Self-Portrait,1941Smith College Museum of Art, MA

Frieda Kahlo & Diego Rivera 1931

Absent during revolution (*)

1921 Communist member & editor – El machete

1886-1957

Expelled for bourgeois association

National union for artists with Orozco & Siqueiros

Husband of Frieda Kahlo

MuralistVisual Arts

Surrealism

Diego Rivera

The History of Mexico: Tierra y Libertad, Central Arch Detail,

1929-1935 Fresco Mexico City, National Palace, Central Arch

• Zapata - top

• Bottom - struggle of native peoples against Spanish

• Father Miguel Hildago, hero of independence from Spain

• Aztec symbol – eagle with the serpent

• Inquisition

1935National Palace, Mexico City

Diego Rivera

• Huelga - strike

• Rebels hung

• Rebels about to be shot

• Corrupt priest

• Communist flag

The History of Mexico: Mexico Tomorrow

Diego RiveraMan at the Crossroads 1934, Palace of Fine Arts, Mexico City

Diego RiveraCity College of San Francisco -

Panel 1 Pan- American Unity 1940 fresco, 6.74 x 22.5m

Glorification of Pre-Hispanic Civilization

Harmony of technology & culture

(*)

Jose Clemente Orozco 1883-1949

Orozco

The Rich Banquet while the Workers Fight, 1923

Cortés and Malinche,  1926Pro-worker, anti-imperialist

Mestizo culture

Jose Clemente Orozco:The Dartmouth Mural 1932-34

Jose Clemente Orozco

Details, Dartmouth murals

Ancient Human Sacrifice *

Gods of the Modern World

Miguel Hildago , "The People and Its Leaders" government palace

David Alfaro Siqueiros 1896-1974

Man of action -14yrs old fought in revolution

Politically active

Interfered with ability to complete some works

Introduced new materials & tools – spray gun

David Alfaro Siqueiros (1896 - 1974)

Campesinos (Peasants) ca. 1913

Siqueiros

Dictatorship of Porfirio Diaz to the Revolution, The People in Arms

Siqueiros Portrait of the Bourgeoisie, 1940

David Alfaro Siqueiros

The New Democracy1944

Palace of Fine Arts, Mexico City

Summary Slide

• Ideas of the Revolution

• Education program of Vasconcelos

• Music – corridos, classical – Chavez & Revueltas

• Literature - Azuela & Guzman

• Muralists – Rivera, Orozco, & Siqueiros