Recently the Museum of Anthropology (MOA) had an exhibit called “Arts of Resistance”. The whole purpose of the exhibit was to explore how “communities in Latin America use traditional or historical art forms to express contemporary political realities” (MOA). Each artist highlights on the themes of ‘political injustice’ in their society but each artist does it through their own chosen art style such as paintings, drawings, murals, clothing etc. Through the use of this type of artwork artists are able to change the perspective on an issue and apply their own voice to it to hopefully ignite a spark for change.

One artwork that really caught my eye was the piece titled “The Defence of Maize”. The artists of this mural call themselves ‘Lapiztola’. The name Lapiztola is taken from the Spanish words lapiz (pencil) and pistola (pistol) (The Guardian). The collective made up of three artists use their murals as a means of protest and visually communicating with society of the injustices faced by the people. (The Guardian)

Historically murals in Mexico have served as a way of  communicating different ideas to the general public. This famously began after the Mexican Revolution. The new government used public works of art (murals) to “promote and support the values fundamental to the revolution and to help establish a new identity for Mexico” (Mexican Muralism). It allowed the government to spread visual messages to the parts of population who were illiterate. Overtime artists began to use this art form, known as murals, to incorporate some of their own ideas and values instead of those of the government.

“The Defence of Maize” is calling attention to the issue of the Mexican government importing genetically modified corn from American TNCs. Maize to the Indigenous population of Mexico holds a “deep cultural symbol intrinsic to daily life” of the indigenous people (Santini, Christina). However nowadays this long lived tradition is under attack by TNCs who are dominating the market with cheaper genetically modified maize which also threaten the contamination of indigenous maize species.

“The Defence of Maize” is a visual interpretation of the current issue faced by the indigenous population of Mexico. The mural gives a visual representation of what is the issue is currently, the men are contaminating the maize with hazardous chemicals and causing crops to die, but also the mural helps to reinforce what needs to be done about this issue, and that is the defending of the maize (shown by the women pointing the gun towards the ‘invaders’). The artists of the mural are expressing the contemporary political realities of the maize but are incorporating their own voice showing that we ‘as Mexicans’ should protect what is ours and make the TNCs surrender (shown by one of the men having his hands up in the air, sign of surrender).

The use of art to inform others of political issues is extremely powerful. First a wider audience can be persuaded due to it being a visual and not a written text that others might not be able to read. Also art tends to have the power to invoke more of an emotional connection for its audience and this emotional connection makes the audience more persuaded to do something about this issue.

The use of traditional art as a means of  invoking change is more powerful than any article.

 

Work Cited

 

MOA. “Arts of Resistance: Politics and Pasts in Latin America”. Museum of Anthropology. May 2018.  https://moa.ubc.ca/exhibition/arts-of-resistance/ Accessed: September 28, 2018

The Guardian. “LAPIZTOLA OAXACA.” Art Represents. https://www.artrepresent.com/lapiztola/ Accessed: September 29, 2018

Souter, Anna. “Mexican Muralism Movement Overview and Analysis”. [Internet]. 2018. TheArtStory.org, Content compiled and written by Anna Souter, Edited and revised, with Synopsis and Key Ideas added by Kimberly Nichols

Available from: https://www.theartstory.org/movement-mexican-muralism.htm [Accessed 30 Sep 2018]

Santini, Christina “THE PEOPLE OF THE CORN” Cultural Survival. December, 2006. https://www.culturalsurvival.org/publications/cultural-survival-quarterly/people-corn Accessed: September 28 2018