THE BAD ARTIST.
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Street Art: Exploring Contemporary Mexican Visual Culture

Claudia Rocha

Names such as Diego Rivera, David Siqueiros and Frida Kahlo are usually the extent of the romanticized U.S. education of Mexican artists. The reality is Mexico has a rich visual culture past and present: from folk art, to historic murals, to the current-day street art. These forms are essentially a canvas of the people, an art form that I find incredibly important in learning about Mexican culture, and possibly about myself. I wish to analyze Mexican art from multiple perspectives—as an artist, as a Chicana, and simply as an audience member.

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     The questions I hope to explore range from technical skill to questions of my self-identity. What goes into creating a work at such a scale; what materials are needed, what are different stylistic ways of creating murals, and what persuades an artist to do one style over another? When creating street art—a mural, graffiti, or poster—what topics do artists approach in their art, and why is this the method artists use to interact with these topics? If the topic is social commentary, what does the art mean to the artist versus the surrounding community when using a medium that lacks permanency yet is so physically present within a community? How, if at all, are traditional folk art and crafts reflected in contemporary Mexican street art, and what is the significance of including such elements in street art? How does tourism affect the creation and the community’s opinion of folk art and artists, and does tourism play a role in the creation of street art? How do artists like Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera and David Alfaro Siqueiros impact contemporary street artists? How do the elements of the history of murals, their folkloric roots, and government-sponsored eras change or impact street artists and the art itself? As a Chicana and an artist, how can I relate to this visual culture when I identify as an outsider, even with insight due to my own Mexican heritage?

     To answer these guiding questions, I hope to engage in exploration of Mexico City as well as Gomez Farias, Michoacán. Mexico City is world-renowned for its street art, has numerous galleries, and is the location of many historic murals. Different neighborhoods within Mexico City exhibit different styles of street art; some government-sponsored, some with heavy international influences, and other styles to be documented first-hand and explored. There is also an online platform called Street Art Chilango based and focused on the street art of Mexico City. Street Art Chilango’s primary goal is documenting the artwork regardless if the artist is well-known or not—this would be an excellent resource for networking with artists of all levels of recognition. I would stay at a long-term hostel meant for students such as Vencidad Alpina11. Exploring and learning in an unfamiliar environment would be easier if I lived with people my age. Vencidad Alpina11 costs 4680 pesos a month (approximately 250 USD) and includes all services in one monthly fee. As far as traveling goes, I would utilize the bus system in Mexico City.

     I mentioned living in Gomez Farias, Michoacán as this is where my father was born. I imagine I would live in Gomez Farias for two to three months. Part of what I hope to get from this experience would be to reclaim part of my identity—coming from a place of privilege due to sacrifices my parents have made, I feel a disconnect with my roots. If given the opportunity, I would find it necessary and incredible to pay homage to my father by learning in his hometown. There is a house in my family’s name that I would be able to use, and I have numerous cousins still in Gomez Farias that I would be able to meet and get to know—local people who would be able to help me learn about local craftsmen and artists.  Michoacán is also known for its folkloric arts, and I feel that to learn about contemporary art one must also learn about preceding art. As an artist, it is important to me to see the craftsmanship of my ancestors, this that runs in my blood. 

     Through this experience, I would hope to not only answer my guiding questions, but I would hope to learn about my heritage through immersion and my social capabilities. I wish to challenge what I thought I could never do and I want to develop my artistic abilities and ideas about art. It is also necessary to mention that although I can read, write and generally understand Spanish, I cannot speak it. When I moved from California to Washington during elementary school, my accent was classified as a speech impediment, and after being told for many years that how I talked was wrong, I lost that ability. Part of my want to reclaim my identity is rooted in wanting the ability to speak Spanish; something I did not have a choice in being taken away, but it is something I can choose to take back. A large part of what compelled me to research this proposal is my interest in my own heritage, but I also want to learn as an artist. I have painted a mural in my high school, which was the most challenging task I have taken on as an artist, and after doing so I can humbly say my knowledge and ability in the execution of a mural is lacking. I would hope to learn from individuals I consider masters of their media to develop an understanding and respect of the process and to develop my own abilities and challenge my own artistic limitations. 

Part of what inspired my interest in pursuing this project was the lack of information taught in art classes about Mexican art. I would want to share my experience with the Fairhaven Community by presenting a lecture in manner I wish I would be taught—an art lecture that focused on the work of Latinx people and that focused on genres of art from artists of all levels of recognition, not just famous individuals. If given this opportunity, another aspect of my adventure-learning would be the illustrated journals I would keep of the experience. I would share the journals to present my learning in a much more personal, less academically-focused way. I find it vital that I would keep and share my personal journals, as this would be an experience of self-identity, a topic that needs authenticity.