14 February 2007

Art after Kahlo

With this photograph I want to show you the monopoly on Mexican art that Frida Kahlo has. And it is not her fault, although she had and absolute interesting life and many books worth, there is more Mexican art than hers.
I would like to encourage people to get to know more about other Mexican artists. And certainly libraries, like in this case the municipal library of The Hague, should acquire volumes about different artists, movements and periods.
It is just laughable to see 14 books of/about Kahlo, one on the muralists, one on her husband Rivera and one on Tamayo.
Could you imagine in a Mexican library on the Dutch art section only books about Rembrandt?
Well, it makes me wonder, I will take a look when I am there.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Just got back from a 3 week visit to Mexico and might have the answer to the question. For books of Rembrandt you have to look a bit more closer in the bookstores and libaries. The big name at the moment in Mexico is Van Gogh!! In many boostores and museum libraries his book is next to the Diego/Frida en Tamoyo books. And there is the answer to the remark that all books in Holland are about Frida.One remark I have is that in Mexico they speak of Diego and Frida and here we mainly know Frida. I think that is mainly because of the movie featering Selma. After this movie I think the VPRO had a docu about the life of Frida. Also because she is a woman to the Dutch mentality and by the way are there any famous Dutch Female Painters??
But back to the reality in Mexico. Since many Dutch people visit Mexico you should think they would learn more about the Mex art and artists but being in Mexico as a tourist they only thing you have is Diego and Frida!! It starts at the Airport: in front of the KLM check-in there is this shop that has two books: Diego or Frida. When you go Downtown Murals of Diego. If you buy a T-Shirt, bag, hat etc etc all with Frida.You go on a torusist city tour: Casa Azul. You have to go to the non tourist area's to see the real good stuff. The worst part is that outside Mexico City it is the same story. This trip I was in Morelia, Guadalajara and San Miguel de Allende (Half of the Galleries sell Gringo Artists!!).Evrywhere the same art books, same t-shirts, same shopping bag (of Frida nice for in the Albert Heijn.)
In Morelia I found a nice book which i proudly added to my collection of Mexican Art books: Pintores Michoacanos Contemporaneos with all the famous painters from Michoacan including Zalce.

P.S. If someone wants to have a good view of the Modern Mexico Art please visit the Museo Art Moderno. It has a greatc ollection of Rivera, Kahlo, Tamayo, Zalce, Siqueros, Orozco, Murillo and many more.
For new stuff: Till the end of March they also have a great exposition of Teresa Velazquez

b.verbeek3@chello.nl