Mexican Muralism: Beyond the big names

Join us for a journey through one of the most powerful and influential art movements of 20th-century Mexico.

In this 45-minute talk, we’ll discover how, after the Mexican Revolution, art moved beyond museums and onto walls, buildings, and public spaces, becoming a way to tell history, shape a national identity, and give voice to a society undergoing profound change.

We’ll explore the work of the three great masters of Mexican muralism—Diego Rivera, José Clemente Orozco, and David Alfaro Siqueiros—but we’ll also look beyond them to discover other important artists who enriched and transformed the movement. We’ll talk about Juan O’Gorman, Rufino Tamayo, Fernando Leal, Jorge González Camarena, and Alfredo Zalce, among others, while paying special attention to the women who took part in this artistic revolution, including Aurora Reyes, Elena Huerta, and María Izquierdo, whose contributions have long been less well known.

Through their work, we’ll explore different ways of representing the Revolution, Mexican history, Indigenous communities, work, education, inequality, and identity, discovering that Mexican muralism was far more diverse and complex than the traditional story of art history often suggests. We’ll also explore how its influence reached far beyond Mexico’s borders.

No art background is necessary—just curiosity and a desire to discover the stories behind some of Mexico’s most fascinating murals.

To complete the experience, we’ll share a tasting of Mexican flavors after the talk—a chance to chat, exchange impressions, and continue enjoying the richness of Mexican culture.

We look forward to welcoming you for an afternoon of art, history, culture, flavors, and good company!

Host:

Mar Fuentes Lanning

MA in Museum Studies

Mexican designer and entrepreneur