Famous Mexican Artists

Mexican art has witnessed many trendsetting and revolutionary artists. The aftereffect of the Mexican Revolution was the emergence of a new generation of Mexican artists who brought about a change in the Mexican art and culture. Artists of this genre set the stage for a new trend in art. Their large-scale murals depicting human life and carrying social messages gave an entirely new dimension to the Mexican art. The world of Mexican art boasts of many legendary artists. Let us have a look at some of them.

Diego Rivera: He was born on December 8, 1886 in Mexico. At an age of ten, he began to study art at the Academy of San Carlos in Mexico City. Teodoro A. Dehesa Mendez, the governor of the State of Veracruz, sponsored Rivera's study in Europe. Deriving inspiration from Paul Cezanne's paintings, Rivera became a part of the Post-Impressionism movement during 1917. He married Frida Kahlo in August 1929, four months after which, he was contracted to paint murals in the Palace of Cortez in Cuernavaca. Later in 1930, he painted a mural for the Stock Exchange and a fresco for the California School of Fine Art. Rivera traveled to many parts of the world and displayed his works of art. He won international acclaim for his paintings that were exhibited in numerous exhibitions the world over. Apart from being a painter and muralist, he was also an active communist. He died on November 24, 1957 at the age of seventy.

Jose Clemente Orozco: A social realist painter and lithographer Jose Clemente Orozco, was born on November 23, 1883. He led the Mexican Mural Renaissance along with Diego Rivera. He, with Siqueiros and Rivera, formed the trio known by the name 'Big Three' muralists. 'The Epic of American Civilization' is one of his most famed murals. His artistic works were often the depictions of human suffering, although less realistic. His death on September 7, 1949 meant the loss of one of the world-famous Mexican artists. The Carrillo Gil Museum in Mexico City and the Orozco Workshop-Museum in Guadalajara display his works of art.

David Alfaro Siqueiros: Born on December 29, 1896, Siqueiros was a muralist and a Stalinist. Art ran in his mother's family who came from a family of poets, actors and musicians. He lost his mother at an early age of two. He received the training in art from the San Carlos Academy. His works of art depicted the struggle of man's daily life. He portrayed revolutionaries. He developed an art form that became universal and earned him recognition. He was instrumental in the establishment of the Mexican Mural Renaissance that was the result of his large murals in fresco. His art represented his times and was rooted in the Mexican Revolution and the Spanish Civil War. He was the receiver of the Lenin Peace Prize in 1966. He was one of "the big three" Mexican muralists. He died on January 6, 1974. He is remembered for his famous works such as 'Portrait of the Bourgeoisie', 'The March of Humanity' and others.

Frida Kahlo: Born on July 6, 1907 in Coyoacan, then, a small town on the outskirts of Mexico City. At the early age of six, polio left her right leg thinner than the left one. As a child, she suffered from many injuries and accidents. After a major accident in 1925, due to which she had to undergo thirty-five surgeries, she decided to take up painting as a full-fledged career. The famous Mexican painter Diego Rivera, her guide and adviser became her life partner in 1929. They did not have a happy marriage. Life brought her physical and psychological trauma. Her paintings also reflect bitter truths of her life. Self-portraits form a significant part of her paintings. She passed away on July 13, 1954, leaving behind a message that said, "I hope the exit is joyful- and I hope never to return - Frida".

Arnold Belkin: ‘The Canadian Son of Mexican Muralism’, as he was often called, was born on December 9, 1930. During his years at Vancouver School of Art, he got deeply interested in Muralism. He was a student of La Esmeralda Art School and the INBA School for Painting and Sculpture. By 1950, he had created his first mural. Belkin portrayed the Mexican culture, their festivals and death. He made friends with David Alfaro Siqueiros in the early 1950s. He held his first individual exhibition in 1952. In 1963, he was one of the four artists who represented Mexico at the International Award Exhibition in New York. Siqueiros, Icaza, and Tamayo were the other three. 'The Sephardic Migration in Mexico' was one of his famous paintings, preserved at the Monte Sinai Social Center in Mexico City. Belkin used oil paints, acrylic colors and various other media of painting. Most of his paintings were themed on history. He was a dynamic and an innovative Mexican artist. He passed away in 1992.

Mexican artists introduced Mexican art to the world. They earned world recognition for the Mexican art. Their works attracted many, thus contributing to the popularity of the art of Mexico.