Modern Art in 20th-century Latin American Art Week 9

  • Artist: Alfredo Ramos Martínez Title: Flores Mexicanas Date: 1914–1929 Media: Oil on canvas Dimensions: 9 by 12 feet Repository: Missouri Historical Society Collections

    Artist: Alfredo Ramos Martínez Title: Flores Mexicanas Date: 1914–1929 Media: Oil on canvas Dimensions: 9 by 12 feet Repository: Missouri Historical Society Collections

    Flores Mexicanas is considered a masterpiece of Mexican modernism and was the last painting Martínez completed before moving to California. The painting's themes include the representation of Mexico's diverse racial heritage and an allegory of the four seasons, which are characteristic of the artist's work. Artwork Citation: https://www.louissternfinearts.com/news/alfredo-ramos-martinezs-astonishing-flores-mexicanas-on-view-at-dallas-museum-of-art
  • Artist: Frida Kahlo Title: Self-Portrait on the Borderline Between Mexico and the United States Date: 1932 Media: Oil on metal Dimensions: \(31\times 35\) cm Repository: Detroit Institute of Arts 

    Artist: Frida Kahlo Title: Self-Portrait on the Borderline Between Mexico and the United States Date: 1932 Media: Oil on metal Dimensions: \(31\times 35\) cm Repository: Detroit Institute of Arts 

    The painting is a significant work of Mexicanidad, a post-revolutionary movement that championed Mexican identity and culture. It is characterized by its use of symbolic imagery to explore themes of identity, industrialization, and the contrast between Mexico's agrarian past and the United States' modern, mechanical future. Artwork: https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2018/aug/31/frida-kahlo-self-portrait-on-the-border
  • Artist: José Clemente Orozco Title: The Epic of American Civilization Date: 1932-1934 Media: Fresco Dimensions: The full mural cycle is approximately 3,200 square feet. Repository: Baker Memorial Library, Dartmouth College, Hanover

    Artist: José Clemente Orozco Title: The Epic of American Civilization Date: 1932-1934 Media: Fresco Dimensions: The full mural cycle is approximately 3,200 square feet. Repository: Baker Memorial Library, Dartmouth College, Hanover

    The Epic of American Civilization is a seminal work of the Mexican Muralism movement, which sought to create art that was accessible to the public and addressed social and political issues. The mural's major themes are the cyclical nature of destruction and creation, the impact of indigenous and European cultures on North America, and a critique of war, industrialization, and the modern world. Artwork Citation: https://www.nps.gov/places/the-epic-of-american-civilization
  • Artist: Diego Rivera Title: Man, Controller of the Universe (also known as Man at the Crossroads) Date: 1934 Media: Fresco Dimensions: 480 cm × 1145 cm Repository: Palacio de Bellas Artes, Mexico City, Mexico

    Artist: Diego Rivera Title: Man, Controller of the Universe (also known as Man at the Crossroads) Date: 1934 Media: Fresco Dimensions: 480 cm × 1145 cm Repository: Palacio de Bellas Artes, Mexico City, Mexico

    The mural is a key example of the Mexican muralism movement, which sought to create public art that addressed social and political issues. The painting's main theme is the choice humanity faces between the paths of capitalism and communism, represented by the two opposing sides of the central figure controlling the universe. Artwork Citation: https://www.dailyartmagazine.com/diego-rivera-man-at-crossroads/#:~:text=The%20impressive%20fresco%20of%20monumental,Detail.
  • Artist: Frida Kahlo Title: The Two Fridas (Las dos Fridas) Date: 1939 Media: Oil on canvas Dimensions: 173.5 x 173 cm (67-11/16 x 67-11/16 inches) Repository: Museo de Arte Moderno, Mexico City, Mexico

    Artist: Frida Kahlo Title: The Two Fridas (Las dos Fridas) Date: 1939 Media: Oil on canvas Dimensions: 173.5 x 173 cm (67-11/16 x 67-11/16 inches) Repository: Museo de Arte Moderno, Mexico City, Mexico

    The Two Fridas is a self-portraiture that expresses Kahlo’s struggles in relation to her identity, ethnicity, and split from her husband, Diego Rivera. The artwork is sometimes grouped under Surrealist paintings, although it does not belong to that category since it is not certified by Kahlo, and it expresses strong themes that include loss, resilience, and Kahlo’s dual identity. Artwork Citation: https://artsandculture.google.com/story
  • Artist: Frida Kahlo Title: Self-Portrait with Monkeys Date: 1943 Media: Oil on Masonite Dimensions: 31.875 x 24.5 inches (81 x 62.2 cm) Repository: Jacques and Natasha Gelman Collection, Mexico City, Mexico

    Artist: Frida Kahlo Title: Self-Portrait with Monkeys Date: 1943 Media: Oil on Masonite Dimensions: 31.875 x 24.5 inches (81 x 62.2 cm) Repository: Jacques and Natasha Gelman Collection, Mexico City, Mexico

    The painting is a significant work in Frida Kahlo's oeuvre, showcasing her unique style and thematic concerns. It reflects her connection to nature, her Mexican heritage, and her personal struggles.
    The work is characterized by its use of vibrant colors, lush tropical foliage, and symbolic elements. It explores themes of identity, pain, and the complex relationship between humans and nature. https://en.artsdot.com/@@/8CEFHR-Frida-Kahlo-Self-Portrait-with-Monkeys
  • Artist: Frida Kahlo Title: Self-Portrait as a Tehuana (also known as Diego on My Mind) Date: 1943 Media: Oil on Masonite Dimensions: 76 cm x 61 cm Repository: The Jacques and Natasha Gelman Collection, Mexico City, Mexico

    Artist: Frida Kahlo Title: Self-Portrait as a Tehuana (also known as Diego on My Mind) Date: 1943 Media: Oil on Masonite Dimensions: 76 cm x 61 cm Repository: The Jacques and Natasha Gelman Collection, Mexico City, Mexico

    Self-Portrait as a Tehuana is a significant work within the Mexican Modernism movement, as it celebrates indigenous culture through the traditional Tehuana dress and headdress, a theme Kahlo often explored. The painting's major themes include identity, love, and pain, with the tiny portrait of Diego Rivera on her forehead symbolizing her obsessive thoughts about him and the complex emotions in their relationship. Artwork Citation: https://ncartmuseum.org/exhibition
  • Artist: Frida Kahlo Title: The Broken Column (Spanish: La Columna Rota) Date: 1944 Media: Oil on masonite Dimensions: 39.8 cm × 30.6 cm (15.7 in × 12.0 in) Repository: Museo Dolores Olmedo, Xochimilco, Mexico City, Mexico

    Artist: Frida Kahlo Title: The Broken Column (Spanish: La Columna Rota) Date: 1944 Media: Oil on masonite Dimensions: 39.8 cm × 30.6 cm (15.7 in × 12.0 in) Repository: Museo Dolores Olmedo, Xochimilco, Mexico City, Mexico

    The painting is a self-portrait that represents the artist's physical and emotional suffering following a serious bus accident in her youth and subsequent spinal surgeries. Kahlo's work is often associated with Surrealism, though she denied the label, and it is also a part of the Mexicanidad movement, which celebrated Mexican national identity. Artwork Citation: https://www.dailyartmagazine.com/broken-column-fridakahlo
  • Artist: David Alfaro Siqueiros Title: La Nueva Democracia (The New Democracy) Date: 1944 Media: Fresco, pyroxylin on celotex Dimensions: 6 x 10 meters (central panel) Repository: Palacio de Bellas Artes, Mexico City

    Artist: David Alfaro Siqueiros Title: La Nueva Democracia (The New Democracy) Date: 1944 Media: Fresco, pyroxylin on celotex Dimensions: 6 x 10 meters (central panel) Repository: Palacio de Bellas Artes, Mexico City

    This painting is a significant example of Mexican Muralism, an art movement that sought to create public art with political and social messages. La Nueva Democracia explores themes of liberation and the struggle for a new social order, with a central figure breaking free from chains and flames to symbolize the triumph of the people over oppression. Artwork Citation: https://www.artsy.net/artwork/david-alfaro-siqueiros-nota-para-la-nueva-democracia
  • Artist: Frida Kahlo Title: Without Hope Date: 1945 Media: Oil on masonite Dimensions: 28 x 36 cm Repository: Museo Dolores Olmedo, Mexico City

    Artist: Frida Kahlo Title: Without Hope Date: 1945 Media: Oil on masonite Dimensions: 28 x 36 cm Repository: Museo Dolores Olmedo, Mexico City

    Without Hope is a significant work within the Surrealist movement, though Kahlo herself rejected the label, stating she painted her own reality rather than dreams. The painting's major characteristics include its symbolic and autobiographical nature, with themes of physical and psychological suffering, isolation, and the loss of control over her own body. Artwork Citation: https://www.arthistoryproject.com/artists/frida-kahlo/without-hope
  • Artist: Frida Kahlo Title: The Wounded Deer (also known as The Little Deer) Date: 1946 Media: Oil on Masonite Dimensions: \(22.4\text{\ cm}\times 30\text{\ cm}\) (\(8.8\text{\ in}\times 12\text{\ in}\)) Repository: Private collection 

    Artist: Frida Kahlo Title: The Wounded Deer (also known as The Little Deer) Date: 1946 Media: Oil on Masonite Dimensions: \(22.4\text{\ cm}\times 30\text{\ cm}\) (\(8.8\text{\ in}\times 12\text{\ in}\)) Repository: Private collection 

    This self-portrait is a powerful representation of Kahlo's physical and emotional suffering, painted after a failed spinal surgery. It combines elements of Magical Realism and pre-Columbian symbolism, depicting the artist's head on the body of a deer pierced by arrows to convey themes of inescapable pain and fate. Artwork Citation: https://www.artchive.com/artwork/the-little-deer-frida-kahlo-1946/
  • Artist: David Alfaro Siqueiros Title: The right for culture or The dates in the history of Mexico Date: 1952–1956 Media: Relief mosaic Repository: National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico City

    Artist: David Alfaro Siqueiros Title: The right for culture or The dates in the history of Mexico Date: 1952–1956 Media: Relief mosaic Repository: National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico City

    The mural is a significant example of the Mexican muralism movement, which was a public art form that emerged in the 1920s to communicate social, political, and historical messages. A major characteristic of this movement was the use of public spaces to make art accessible to all, with themes often centered on Mexican history, national identity, and social justice. Artwork Citation: https://artincontext.org/mexican-muralism-art/