Network Aztlan Latino Chicano Comunidades Transnacionales

Rufino Tamayo (1899-)

A Zapotec Indian, wrote the following

Outside of Orozco, who never traveled, most of the artists involved on the mural projects had studied or worked in Paris for years. When they returned, because of the revolution, they and those of us at home were all trying to liberate ourselves politically and economically. In that atmosphere the artists turned strongly nationalist. At that moment it was necessary for us to be very nationalistic. That meant we could go back to our roots and absorb from them whatever we could. We had to become sure of ourselves. Before the revolution the Mexican government didn't really believe in Mexico's artists. They thought that because we had no experience we knew nothing, and therefore anything of quality could come only from foreigners.

The trouble was that the painters portrayed only a surface nationalism. They painted the facts of Mexico's history and culture, all leading to the facts of the revolution. But revolution is not a Mexican phenomenon. It was natural for them. But I myself felt something beyond that. I was a rebel, not against the revolution, but against the Mexican mural movement which was conceived to celebrate it. It is impossible, I feel, in this time when communications are so open, to set out deliberately to make an art which is Mexican, or American, or Chinese, or Russian. I think in terms of universality. Art is a way of expression that has to be understood by everybody, everywhere. It grows out of the earth, the texture of our lives and our experiences. It grows out of the earth, the texture of our lives and our experiences. Maybe it was because the other painters were older than I that they were so concerned with the facts of the revolution. I wanted only to go back to our roots, our wonderful plastic tradition. The others were not concerned about this.

[c. 1972]