Diego Rivera Praise

When I lived in Mexico in the early ‘50s, many Americans considered it either daring or subversive to admire Rivera because of his graphic depiction of oppression of the indigenous population by European “conquerors.” It was especially interesting to me one day while enjoying the murals at the courthouse in Cuernavaca to overhear a very poor and humble Indian woman say to her husband, “Look what they’re doing to us!” Indeed, the mural was clearly telling the story of exploitation and degradation of Indians by Spaniards. Do add the Cuernavaca murals to the tour of Rivera’s works and be aware of the powerful messages he sent to often illiterate, disenfranchised people.

ANN BIEN

Anaheim