by Fulcrum Gallery Staff
13. January 2014 17:34
International renowned artist and activist Diego Rivera was born in Guanajuato, Mexico in 1886. He studied painting at a young age and moved to Paris in 1907. Rivera was mindful of creating new styles of art that could express modern reality and connect with wide, general audiences. Upon experiencing the Renaissance frescoes in Italy, he found his artistic niche and returned to Mexico with unparalleled vision.
Diego Rivera used the fresco form in universities and other public places in Mexico, which made his art accessible and brought it into contact with everyday people. He brilliantly merged his views of political freedom with his artistic voice by embracing public platforms over and above the stuffy, private venues of art museums and galleries. Rivera gained fame rapidly, and he created numerous murals that celebrate Mexican history.
Rivera's paintings often contained natural elements such as flowers and animals, common people performing essential tasks, and basic family relations, such as Mother and child. He had a remarkable way of depicting bold colors and curved lines that created seamlessly flowing images. His artistic style is at once realistic yet exceptionally beautiful to behold.
Rivera was commissioned in 1930 by the American Stock Exchange Luncheon Club, as well as the California School of Fine Arts. In 1932 during the Great Depression, Rivera created a fresco at the Detroit Institute of the Arts, a magnificent work of art commissioned by Henry Ford that highlighted the history of American industrial workers. While the piece was considered controversial, it is still regarded as one of Rivera's most amazing paintings.
Rivera's American presence as an artist is noted for influencing Franklin Delano Roosevelt's Works Progress Administration, which helped numerous artists find meaningful employment during tough economic times. Ultimately, Diego Rivera left behind a legacy of national art in Mexico, and he forever impacted the American landscape of public art.
