MEXICO Identity
Interview
Interview with Remix (insta : @RemixUno).
Remix, born and brought up in Mexico City, is a world renowned graffiti artist. He works with brands such as Nike, commissions and even during this lockdown for Mexico City. In fact we recognised his collages of realism mixed with abstract colourful works all over the city throughout our time in Mexico City. During our street art tour with Remix (airbnb experiences) he explained the history of graffiti and the different styles; the inspirations.
We finished off the tour by having a go at being graffiti artists ourselves. I have to say he was so helpful and kind. After my daughter finished her piece, she started crying because she felt her attempts were so bad (it is not easy as it looks).
Remix recounted to her that as an artist it is normal to have self doubt and that he himself cried for 2 days because of self disappointment …. and then helped her produce a new piece of work which she felt proud of.
Street art, graffiti and muralism is very important to Mexican culture and heritage. With examples of Mayan murals dating back to 8th century, Mesoamerican civilisations would ‘adorn their temples and palaces with images of religious ceremonies and historical events’. We saw many at the astonishing Anthropological Museum in Mexico City (now I know why the British Museum has so little Mexican work to display – and a good thing too!).
I scanned all these while I was abroad !
Mural artists, Diego Rivera, José Clemente Orozco, and David Alfaro Siqueiros known as the big 3 have painted Mexico’s turbulent history from the Spanish Conquest (1519), the Independence from Spain (1821) and the Mexican Revolution (1910) …. large scale.
Rivera’s - "Man at the Crossroads: Mural at Rockefeller Center" commissioned by Rockefeller was particularly controversial. Destroyed on completion because of its leftist leanings. According to David Rockefeller Sr., Rivera added a panel that the family felt was an unflattering portrait of his father. "The picture of Lenin was on the right-hand side, and on the left, a picture of [my] father drinking martinis with a harlot and various other things that were unflattering to the family and clearly inappropriate to have as the center of Rockefeller Center," he said'. Rivera later repainted it in Mexico City.
Graffiti, the edgy punk hotter sister of Murals, is flourishing in the streets of Mexica City, though it wasn’t always the case. There was a time when artists would look out for police and as the coast became clear would create a flash mob to furiously fill whole walls in minutes. Every little bit of wall would be covered across the city but considered vandalism. Nowadays, graffiti and murals are ‘in’ - a way to brighten up the urban jungle with visual narratives while connecting with youth and local talented artists. And as with other forms of Mexican art, graffiti is not afraid to tackle difficult subjects.
This protest piece relates to a national scandal - the mass kidnapping, in 2014, and subsequent murders of 43 students from Iguala by drug cartels, colluding corrupt police and government officials. At first it might seem that the ferocious tiger is large and about to pounce on the rabbits, but if you look again actually the tiger is the one cowering with fear. It depicts the anti-corruption agencies which are now keeping an eye on the police and government.
México: Cultura y Sociedad que renace by Seher One at the general comptroller’s office in Mexico City
This recent mural by artist Seher One tells the story of rebirth of Mexico, - united to helped each other and rise with strength from the rubble after the September 19 2017 earthquake which injured 30000 and killed 10000 people.