Diego Rivera, "Dream on a Sunday Afternoon in the Alameda Central" in Hotel Del Prado, Mexico City, 1947-8, exhibited 1956. Completed in 1946, exhibited in 1956. Rivera included someone who wrote a book questioning the existence of God, the book said "God doesn't exist" so the hotel didn't put it on view until ten years later. Art Deco hotel, tourist hotel. An earthquake in the 1980s caused hotel not to be able to reopen, they removed the mural and carried it to a vacant lot, erected the mural, and built the museum around it. It's about a historic park called "Alameda", Indians not allowed in park. 49 feet long mural, in the tradition of paintings in Europe. Theme--city parks designed for working class people, urban workers who have no contact with nature, need this open green space. There are 40+figures in the mural. Center-->Rivera as a 12 year old just moving to Mexico City. Behind him is Frida as an adult holding a yin and yang, her being the adult and him being the child symbolizes what type of relationship they had. Right--Jose Guadalupe Posada, printmaker, representing a gneration of artists before Rivera. To the left and right of Rivera are figures from Mexican history, including figures from his family. Far left--someone being tortured in an inquisition in the park, a nun poetess, Emporess Carlotta and Emporer Maxamillian. To the right=members of Riveras family. Lower level, in the street are street people, the under class, people at bottom of society. Woman in yellow dress is La Lupe, a famous prostitute, who is standing defiantly. There is a boy shown pick pocketing on this level, as well as drunks, newspaper salesman, selling food and candy and tortillas. Man selling balloons. Top level are super human figures, larger than life. they tie it all ogether. They are in chronological order=Benito Jaurez, a zapotec indian, mexican Lincoln in 1860s, rewrote laws to give land to peasants. Porfirio Diaz, 1875-1910, was ruling Mexico as president. Period when Mexico encouraged N Am and European involvement. Represents a period of oppression. Emiliano Zapata, agrarian-relating to farms, wear bandoliers across chests, white, sombreros, symbolic of the farmer revolt. Madero, first president of Mexico after the revolution began. This mural is aware of the class difference, the class conflict. There are some bourgeouise ladies, over dressed, Riveras ants from Jaunojuato, they are uppity and disproving of La Lupe. Light skinned girl to the right of La Lupe is looking as a policeman who appears indian himself is pushing Indian families out of the park. Marxist/Socialist=presenting opposites. Thesis+Antithesis=synthesis. Indian+European=Mestizo. Several structures are preventing just a jumble of figures...a sunlit landscape, huge balloon echoeing small balloons, colorful are working class, big balloon is national symbol, first balloon ride, "Mexican Republic". The idea of larger figures behind, a hierarchy of size is a Byzantine idea. In the center a skeleton image is shown that Posada used, a "Catrina", a crossdressing skeletal figure wearing a boa that is a plumed serpent, poking fun at bourgeouis propriety. |