History & Identity (Assignment I)

One work of art that really resonated with me along the theme of "History and Identity" was Joaquin Torres-Garcia's The North is the South drawing. The drawing shows an inverted map of South America with Equador at the bottom and the Southern tip of the continent on the top. What is particularly effective about this piece is how such a simple drawing can stand for so much meaning. Torres-Garcia says of this reversal "We have a true idea of our position, not how the rest of the world would like it." For me, the artist also brings to light the Western-centricity of map making and geography, that everything has to be in relation to the western countries. It's something I haven't really ever questioned before, the idea of whether "south" is really south or if it is called south because it's considered south relative the United States or another western power.

Much of the art that Dawn Ades showcases in chapters 12-13 of the textbook are challenges to the notion that there is one type of art or artist that defines Latin American art.

Blog 7 (Assignment H) Alvarez Bravo

"The Threshing", 1930

Manual Alvarez Bravo's black and white photography is a stark contrast to the vivid colors and surreal imagery of iconic Mexican artists like Frida Khalo and Diego Rivera. Instead of relying on color or fantasy, Bravo uses quiet landscapes and simplified compositions to tell his views of Mexico.

"The Threshing" (photo seen here)is a great example of Bravo's restrained style. The rancher with a white horse and a black horse is at first glance a pretty uncomplicated subject and setting. But closer examination reveals more. The relationships between the horse and rancher are unusual, they are not predictable and look like we've caught them in an awkward moment of transition. There is also a great deal texture from the wheat on the ground and background of the clay brick building. Both give contrasting textures of dry straw versus cool, moist clay. It is in these subtle variations that there is a great deal of tension and visual interest that builds up.

His takes on Mexico through the use of capturing interesting scenes from the outdoor environment and everyday objects and scenes say something different from his surrealist counterparts. Bravo seems to be asking us to notice the ground that lies beneath the feet of everyday Mexicans like this rancher, and questions our understanding of the country's history by examining the earth and what it reveals.

Blog 5 (Assignment D) - Conventos of Mexico

One of the most interesting things I learned from the lecture this week is the way that Aztec ceremonies and culture influenced the way cathedrals and churches were designed in Mexico. To appeal to the Indian congregations, the churches incorporated an outdoor space or "convento" for worship since that was an important aspect of Aztec religious practice. This atrium was used for outdoor services to create familiarity and continuity for the converted Indians.

What really struck me was how this atrium idea in the churches of Mexico can be attributed to the Christian church's desire to convert Indians to christianity by creating a uniquely Aztec environment. It is in this nexus of cultures that such a lovely and useful feature of church architecture is born.

Blog 3 (Assignment C) Review of Revelations

The description of the 2007 "Revelations" exhibition in Mexico City really piqued my interest. The show is said to provide fresh perspectives on more than 300 years of history, that is Mexico's colonial history which for many is a painful and difficult history to recall. Despite it being the biggest exhibition of colonial art ever to be displayed in Latin America, it really didn't seem to attract the fanfare or attention that a show of this magnitude would.

And it is understandable why Mexicans, especially given the art history of outspoken artists like Diego Rivera, would not be clamoring to view art that waves the colonial flag. As stated in the article, "Joe Rishel, curator of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, put together the show, which first opened at his museum. He says that Latin American colonial art has not been appreciated at home and abroad." Despite the circumstances and events surrounding these artworks, each piece seems to showcase an incredible range of skill and visual strength.

Blog 2 Flora & Fauna Motifs in Mestizo Arts

photo of cherimoya tree

The incorporation of indigenous flora and fauna in the mestizo decorative arts seem to represent the cultural blending that was taking place between indigenous and european art traditions. In reading "Eye of the Other; The Indigenous Response," I learned that the first time the term mestizo was used was in 1925 to describe the architectural style seen in 17th and 18th century Peru.

In the ornate carvings on the pillars and doorways of buildings there is a serpentine layering of the local flora and fauna to give the feeling of walking through a dense overgrown jungle. I was intrigued to read that specific plants such as the cacao plant and cherimoya tree could be identified. Both are fruits that I have tasted and enjoyed eating during my travels in Central and South America. The next time I eat these fruits I am going to remember how these were also the foods of the pre-colonial people such as the Incas.

Olmec Head and Other Wonders of Early Mexico

The first artwork to really capture my awe and imagination was the Olmec head described in the Preconquest lecture given my Professor Reiss. These stone head sculptures measured 9 feet in height and weighed over 25 tons. The sheer magnitude of such a project is impressive. What impresses on me is the fact that different cultures all over the world have a similar example of large stonework resembling heads such as the heads of Easter Island. They may be a testament of the fortitude of the people they represent.

I was also impressed that the early indigenous people in Preconquest Mexico also had developed a first ball game and also had complex forms of architectural planning. This really exceeds what people in Spain and perhaps all of Europe were led to believe about the "primitive" indigenous people of early Mexico. If perhaps these higher order attributes about a society were understood, the European counterparts may have viewed them as a more sophisticated society. But perhaps nothing can overcome greed in terms of "conquering" new lands especially during that time of hungry exploration.

Welcome to the Art of Colonial and Modern Mexico Blog

Rivera Mural at City College of San Francisco

This blog is part of a course I'm taking on the Art of Colonial and Modern Mexico with Professor Cynthia Reiss at West Valley College. I just got the textbook "Art in Latin America" by Dawn Ades for this course in the mail today, and it looks like a great book filled with lots of color photos and showing a wide variety of artwork. I'm excited for the course and can't wait until we start learning about the Muralism traditions that came out of Mexico in the vein of Diego Rivera and Fernando Leal. Living in the Bay area we have so many actual examples of Rivera murals to look at like the one on the campus of City College of San Francisco and San Francisco Art Institute.