State-sponsored cultural renaissance in revolutionary Mexico

Revolution shook Mexico between 1910 and 1920, but radical political change was not mirrored in the art of the period. In this exhibition, we do not see avant-garde extremes, but witness instead a deepening humanism, as if for once art was interlocking with human need. The cultural renaissance that followed was state-sponsored, and artists were employed by the Ministry of Education to promote the revolution. This was political art at its best, and three artists were active at its heart: los tres grandes, Diego Rivera, José Clemente Orozco and David Alfaro Siqueiros. Their most significant achievements were murals, which remain firmly in place on Mexican buildings and thus are difficult to make an exhibition about. This problem has been solved by having a token representation of Mexican art, lots of photographs, and some fine paintings by foreign visitors who were inspired by Mexico.

It’s an intelligent solution and the exhibition is more enjoyable than expected, if somewhat sparsely hung. The first room sets the revolutionary scene with mostly documentary material and some of the remarkable prints of José Guadalupe Posada, an influential satirical illustrator still highly regarded today. In Room 2 the visitor is greeted by a powerful and rather beautiful Rivera oil painting, entitled ‘Dance in Tehuantepec’ (1928), the single example of his work in the show. (Orozco and Siqueiros are similarly represented.) The end wall is given over to photographs by Edward Weston and Tina Modotti, both compellingly brilliant and here nicely contrasted. For example, photos of the inside of a circus tent by both are juxtaposed, while Weston offers a beautiful cloud study and Modotti a shot of telegraph poles like Aztec sculpture. Further down the room are paintings of rabbit-faced Mayan women by Roberto Montenegro and the legendary Zapata (by Siqueiros) with his boomerang moustache.