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Jason Linfn9827HON 1000-505: The CityDr. Rex

Rivera's Detroit

"A people or a class which is cut off from its own past is far less free to choose and to act as a

people or class than one that has been able to situate itself in history."

- John Berger, Ways of Seeing, 33

As Detroit continues to struggle with bankruptcy, poverty, and the negative connotations

coming from outsiders, individuals, both inside and outside of Detroit, might wonder about the

purpose and value of the city. One method of objectively identifying the purpose of Detroit is by

studying the historical functions of the city. Here, "purpose" is defined as the reason that

something exists and the reason that gives the thing value. To simplify the research into Detroit's

history, which otherwise would be too vast for the purposes of this essay, the Detroit Industry

murals and its relevance to Detroit's historical functions has been chosen as the focus point of the

essay. In the following paragraphs, I attempt to answer the question," Do the Detroit Industry

murals, painted by Diego Rivera, represent the purpose of Detroit, and what is that purpose?"

The murals represent the purpose of Detroit; it is a manufacturing city specializing in automobile

production that relies heavily on the labor of the common people.

The subject of the representation of Detroit's historical function was carefully selected.

Originally, three different sites were chosen: the Fisher building, chosen by Komel, Belle Isle

State Park, chosen by myself, and Detroit Industry, chosen by Britany. After conducting "offsite"

research on all three possibilities at the Undergraduate Library, I decided on the Detroit Industry,

partially because it was so close to campus and easily accessible, partially because it was a

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national historic landmark (Spangler), but mostly because there was much research on both

Rivera and the Detroit Industry, not only at the Undergraduate Library, but also in scientific

journals and newspaper articles. Komel quickly agreed to use the Detroit Industry as our

representative site.

The initial split of possible sites illustrates the differences in views of Detroit. Originally,

Komel saw Detroit as building that had a practical purpose to modern Detroit as well as a

relevance to Detroit's history. I saw Detroit as the extension of the history of the land that Detroit

was on, extending back to the 18th century. Britany saw Detroit, as we all eventually would, as a

representation of Detroit's historical purpose.

Figure 1: North Wall

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Figure 2: South Wall

Detroit Industry represents Detroit's purpose as an automobile city. While the murals do

depict pharmaceutical, chemical, and aircraft production, the two largest murals, those on the

North and South Walls (see figs 1 & 2) depict the manufacture of the engine, transmission, and

exterior of a 1932 Ford V8" (Industry and Technology as the Indigenous Culture of Detroit).

Based on this size, the murals emphasize Detroit's automobile production. Besides this depiction,

there is also the history of the creation of the murals. The Detroit Industry murals were

commissioned by Edsel Ford in 1932, who at the time was the owner of the Ford Motor

Company with his father Henry Ford. Ford paid Rivera $25,000 for the 27 murals (Aguilar-

Moreno 53). Not only are the murals depicting the automobile industry, but they were also paid

for using money from the automobile industry. Finally, on the bottom right corner of the South

Wall (see fig 2) the stamping press machine is compared to the Aztec mother-earth goddess

Coatlicue, the goddess of creation. The comparison is made through the similar outlines of the

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stamping press machine and the goddess. The comparison highlights the strength of the

automobile industry of Detroit, which can "create" like a goddess (Aguilar-Moreno 54).

Figure 3: Detail of West Wall - Common Worker

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Figure 4: Detail of West Wall - Factory Owner

Figure 5: Detail of South Wall - "We Want"

Detroit Industry also represents Detroit's purpose as the labor of the common people.

Most superficially, the murals, on all four walls, illustrate the power of the common people, from

the chemists who produce the pharmaceuticals to the factory line workers who produce the V8.

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The clustered secrecy of the chemists and the smooth, powerful curves of the factory workers

illustrate the power of the common people. More subtly, the murals represent the power of the

common people outside of the factories. In 1932, when the paintings were commissioned, the

Great Depression was in full swing. Tensions between the unemployed factory workers and the

security forces of Ford Motor Company resulted in a skirmish that left 5 protesters dead and 20

wounded. Ford, by commissioning the murals and indirectly highlighting the importance of the

common worker, was attempting to ease the tensions of the unemployed common people (Souter

206) (Mackaman). Finally, the murals, perhaps influenced by Rivera's Marxist leanings (Industry

and Technology as the Indigenous Culture of Detroit) (Ruitenberg 212), subtly showed the

equality between the factory owner and the factory common people. On the West Wall, the

factory worker and the factory owner are shown side by side implying equality (see Fig 3 & 4).

Also, on the helmet of one of the factory workers on the South Wall, the words "We Want" are

inscribed, implying that the common people are important enough and powerful enough to have

their demands heard and obeyed (Industry and Technology as the Indigenous Culture of Detroit)

(see Fig 5).

There is an additional question that may occur after the purpose of Detroit is understood -

how Detroit should proceed. The decline of the automobile industry's presence in Detroit leaves

a vacuum in Detroit's purpose. However, while this vacuum is significant, it is not unfillable. It is

possible that Detroit's automobile industry may return to its former size. If this is the case, then

Detroit will again become the busy hive of activity depicted in the Rivera murals. If not, then

Detroit should instead rely on the other half of its purpose - the common people. Detroit is well

suited for industry - it is close to water transportation, it has the capital in place, and it has the

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land necessary for expansion. It simply requires the ingenuity of an entrepreneur and the labor of

the workers to change the product being produced.

Works Cited

Aguilar-Moreno, Manuel, and Erika Cabrera. "Chapter 4: Rivera in the United States (1930-1933)." Deigo Rivera: A Biography. Santa Barbara: Greenwood Biographies, 2011. Online.

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Eidt, Jack. "Celebrating Creation and Destruction through Science, Medicine, and Technology, Diego Rivera’s “Detroit Industry” Blends Earth and Sky Deities, Human and Machine Power, Healing and Poisoning, War and Peace. (Photograph)." Web. 18 Sept. 2014. <http://www.wilderutopia.com/landscape/urban-art/diego-rivera-and-the-fall-and-rise-of-detroit-by-jack-eidt/>.

"[Factory Owner] (Photograph)." Web. <http://themarmeladegypsy.blogspot.com/2012/03/diamonds-in-desert-part-5-diego-rivera.html>.

"Industry and Technology as the Indigenous Culture of Detroit." Art at the DIA - Visit Rivera Court. Web. <http://www.dia.org/art/rivera-court.aspx>.

"Industry, West Wall (detail) Worker with Red Star on Glove. Deigo Rivera, 1932-33. Detroit Institute of Arts (Photograph)." What the Detroit Institute of Arts Can't Afford to Sell. Web. 18 Sept. 2014. <http://www.salon.com/2013/08/09/what_the_detroit_institute_of_arts_cant_afford_to_sell_partner/>.

Mackaman, Tom, and Jerry White. "Diego Rivera’s “Battle of Detroit”." World Socialist Website 3 Oct. 2013. Web. 17 Sept. 2014. <http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2013/10/03/indu-o03.html>.

"North Wall – Detroit Industry Mural – Diego Rivera (Photograph)." About Place Journal. Web. 17 Sept. 2014. <http://aboutplacejournal.org/rust-belt-tales/the-detroit-industry-murals-by-diego-rivera/>.

Ruitenberg, Claudia W. "Art, Politics, and the Pedagogical Relation." Studies in Philosophy and Education 30.2 (2010): 212-13. Springer Link. Web. 17 Sept. 2014. <http://download.springer.com/static/pdf/323/art%3A10.1007%2Fs11217-010-9216-5.pdf?auth66=1411175872_045dc7ba5a9e382c7f2cf60d1ae6402f&ext=.pdf>.

Souter, Gerry. "Between Painting and Politics." Diego Rivera: His Art and His Passions. New York: Parkstone International, 2012. Online.

"South Wall – Detroit Industry Mural – Diego Rivera (Photograph)." About Place Journal. Web. 17 Sept. 2014. <http://aboutplacejournal.org/rust-belt-tales/the-detroit-industry-murals-by-diego-rivera/>.

Spangler, Todd, and Mark Stryker. "Iconic Diego Rivera Murals at DIA Named National Historic Landmark." Detroit Free Press 24 Apr. 2014. Web. 17 Sept. 2014. <http://www.freep.com/article/20140423/NEWS06/304230170/DIA-diego-rivera-landmark-historic-mural-art>.

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