Lengthy manuscript in pencil, 15 total pages, 5.5 x 8.5 and 6.5 x 9, January 28, 1949, consisting of an interview with Diego Rivera, who signs at the conclusion and adds his initials nine times throughout; the manuscript is in the hand of the interviewer, Andre Visal, and reads, in part (grammar and spelling retained): “Mexico has entered in the period of bourgeois consolidation in the interior policy—regarding the exterior policy is entirely in the hands of the Washington govt through the investment of American money, control of the value of Mexican by Wall St and the treaties signed collectively between latin American countries and US who objectively take out the independence of all the latin American countrys especially Mexico because of being such close neighbors and because no country in the world is independent without having a natl economy based upon his own industry and agriculture which is not the case in Mexico. On the other hand all through the history the ruling class has controlled or tried to control the production of art, thru the market, helped by fashions, legislation corruption and finally by force.
Only escape to this power of control the art production who make blood & bombs with the insurrection of groups or classes fighting against the rulers. Naturally, now when the fight for Agrogion democratic bourgeois revolution has stopped to give place to consolidation of the new bourgeoisie—typically represented by Miguel Aleman and his govt—has not the same need of demagougy of the preceeding govt. Therefore they have established a mural painting commission but they dont commission any more mural painting and the commission intergrated [David Alfaro] Siqueiros, [Jose Clemente] Orozco, Rivera has his own work stopped in govt buildings of Mexico City. On the other hand the new bourgeoisie has discovered the new French style—the ultra modern new academician Le Corbusier. Being a half colonial country Mexico has a petty bourgeois & bourgeoisie who never dare to employ any style belonging to herself unless his foreign masters approve. This is why now, after having tried French style for houses, they have passed to California & Colonial (as they call themselves) and now they build houses in French Corbusier style—especially because being more simple they are more inexpensive. The accumulation of money, around 10000 declared new millionaires, and the new type of architecture has established a certain need of painting not only to be enjoyed esthetically but also to play as furniture—and especially—to accomplish its basic function of exchange value susceptible to rise in value & to sell good interest to investor. This need help by the interest of the recently established art dealers, int. decorators art critics, his helpers and in general all apparatus of control belonging to new bourgeoisie including the fine arts institute—has provoked a production in accord with the needs of the buyers. That is the real reason and the truth about the so-called crisis of Mexican painting.” In very good to fine condition, with toning and edge tear to the final three sheets.
A lengthy and introspective interview that captures the inexhaustible passion of Rivera, a lifelong Marxist whose art expressed his outspoken, often uncompromising commitment to left-wing political causes. One of the leading members and founders of the Mexican Muralist movement, Rivera used the walls of universities and other public buildings throughout Mexico and the United States to wield his socially and politically broad artistic vision, depicting such subjects as the Mexican peasantry, American workers, and revolutionary figures like Emiliano Zapata and Leon Trotsky, who for two years resided at Rivera and Frida Kahlo’s La Casa Azul in the Coyoacan area of Mexico City.
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