Art 480T: Mexican Muralism to Contemporary Public Art - Final Exam Flashcards

Flashcards covering the history of Mexican Muralism, key artists like Los Tres Grandes and women muralists, the New Deal art programs, Chicano muralism, and contemporary developments.

Mexican Muralism

A post-revolutionary government-sponsored art movement in Mexico that used public murals for political communication, education, and identity formation.

Mexicanidad

A concept of Mexican identity and cultural nationalism promoted after the Revolution to unify the population through Indigenous heritage.

Mestizaje

The idea that Mexican identity is derived from a mixture of Indigenous and European ancestry, becoming central to national identity.

Maximato

The historical period from 1928–1934 during which muralism became more institutionalized, state-sponsored, and subject to government oversight.

Los Tres Grandes

The 'Three Greats' of Mexican Muralism: Diego Rivera, José Clemente Orozco, and David Alfaro Siqueiros.

Diego Rivera

A muralist known for large monumental compositions, realism, and historical storytelling focused on labor, Marxism, and Indigenous people.

José Clemente Orozco

A muralist whose work was darker and emotionally intense, focusing on human suffering, the tragedy of revolution, and corruption.

David Alfaro Siqueiros

The most politically radical of 'Los Tres Grandes,' who experimented with industrial paints, spray guns, and 'controlled accidents.'

Controlled Accidents

Experimental techniques involving dripping, splattering, and industrial solvents developed in Siqueiros's workshops that later influenced Jackson Pollock.

Rufino Tamayo

A modernist artist who challenged traditional muralism by focusing on universal humanity, spirituality, and abstraction rather than direct political propaganda.

Duality

A mural by Rufino Tamayo featuring Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca symbolizing opposing cosmic forces like life and death.

Aurora Reyes

Considered the first Mexican woman muralist, she was an activist and teacher who painted 'Attack on the Rural Teacher' in 1936.

Attack on the Rural Teacher

A 1936 mural by Aurora Reyes depicting the violent struggle of female teachers representing secular education against reactionary forces.

Fanny Rabel

A Polish-Jewish immigrant and student of Frida Kahlo who focused on children, poverty, and human tragedy in her murals.

Los Fridos

A small group of art students, including Fanny Rabel, who were taught by Frida Kahlo in her specific style.

Elena Huerta

A muralist and communist activist who completed the largest mural painted by a woman in Mexico, measuring 450 square meters.

New Deal Art

Federal art programs created under Franklin D. Roosevelt to employ artists and beautify public spaces during the Great Depression.

Public Works of Art Project (PWAP)

A New Deal program that paid artists weekly wages to create artworks for schools, hospitals, and public buildings.

American Scene

A style of New Deal art that depicted optimistic themes of American industry, workers, and regional life while avoiding radical political imagery.

Charles White

A Black artist who studied with Rivera and created monumental works celebrating Black history and achievement, such as 'Progress of the American Negro.'

Action Painting

A style of abstract art where paint is spontaneously dribbled or splashed onto canvas, emphasizing the physical process and movement of the artist.

El Movimiento

The Chicano Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s and 1970s which sought labor rights, education reform, and cultural pride.

Barrios

Chicano neighborhoods and urban ethnic enclaves that were transformed into educational spaces and cultural archives through murals.

La Raza

A term meaning 'The people' or 'The family,' representing unity, solidarity, and collective Chicano identity.

United Farm Workers (UFW)

A labor organization co-founded by Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta that used visual symbols like the eagle logo to represent agricultural worker rights.

América Tropical

A controversial 1932 mural by Siqueiros in Los Angeles that depicted a crucified Indigenous peasant under an American eagle; it was later whitewashed.

Chicano Park Takeover

A 1973 community occupation of land in San Diego beneath a freeway that resulted in the creation of one of the largest Chicano mural sites in the world.

Great Wall of Los Angeles

One of the world's largest murals, directed by Judy Baca, which captures the multicultural history of California from the perspectives of excluded groups.

The Wall That Cracked Open

A raw, personal 1972 mural by Willie Herrón III that addresses gang violence and emotional trauma in the Chicano community.

Post-graffiti

A contemporary art style influenced by graffiti but characterized by more planned compositions, complex symbolism, and social commentary.

Rothko Chapel

An immersive environment featuring 14 abstract murals by Mark Rothko designed for spiritual contemplation and silence.