CSP 68 Art of Revolution and Resistance in Twentieth-Century Mexico

This course examines the art of revolution and resistance in Mexico, from the Mexican Revolution to the present. We will focus on the ways in which artists, writers, and intellectuals participated in the social and cultural programs of the Mexican Revolution, and how those practices were translated, reframed and engaged by artists, writers, and intellectuals across the course of the twentieth century. Special attention will be paid to transnational artistic collaborations and dialogues among Mexican and American artists, writers, and critics who sought (and seek) to create a more equitable world. We will also examine the legacy of Mexican artists on Los Angeles art and artists. Among the artists that we will study are Diego Rivera, David Siqueiros, Jose Orozco, Frida Kahlo, Tina Modotti, Manuel Alvarez Bravo, Lola Alvarez Bravo Yolanda Andrade, Ana Victoria Jimenez, Damian Ortega, and Minerva Cuevas. Students will use a variety of written texts and visual sources as the basis of their essays, including historical documents, writings of artists and intellectuals, photography, murals, paintings, sculpture, performance, and installation.