The Mexican muralists who shaped modern American art

CNN — Diego Rivera is widely recognized for his influence on modern art. Alfredo Ramos Martínez from the Whitney Museum of American Art Mexican muralists in particular had a “seismic influence” on the development of socially conscious art and street art, says Barbara Haskell, curator of “Vida Americana: Mexican Muralists Remake American Art, 1925-1945.” “This exhibition seeks to turns art history on its head,” she said in a phone interview. José Clemente Orozco from the Whitney Museum of American Art The exhibition traces the Mexican artists’ influence on the output of their American counterparts, including Thomas Hart Benton, Isamu Noguchi, Jackson Pollock, and Ben Shahn – not to mention the legions of muralists employed under the Works Progress Administration, part of Roosevelt’s New Deal to get Americans back to work during the Great Depression. Rivera, Orozco and Alfaro – dubbed “Los tres grandes” by the American press – are the stars of “Vida Americana.” While many post-war American artists traveled south to take in the street-art sights, the trio became the toast of New York City art circles in the 1930s and exported the homegrown Mexican art form abroad. “For some people who are distressed with the commodification of art, here’s a form that really believed in its vital role in society.” “Vida Americana: Mexican Muralists Remake American Art, 1925-1945” will be on view at the Whitney Museum in New York from Feb. 17 to May 17, 2020.