By Diego Rivera
Man, Controller of the Universe was a mural created by Diego Rivera in 1934 at the Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City. Rivera had painted another similar mural under the title Man at the Crossroads in Rockefeller Center, New York City. The first mural was started in 1933, but was destroyed before it could be completed as a portrait of Vladimir Lenin caused controversy in the States.
Diego Rivera was born to a wealthy family and studied art at the Academy of San Carlos in Mexico City. Rivera was sponsored to continue his study in Europe and did so in places like Madrid, Spain and Paris, France. Working with many influential artists of the time Rivera adopted the cubist form during the middle 1910′s. In 1917 Rivera transitioned to a Post-Impressionism style that included large spaces of color and simple shapes. At that time his works began to garner attention and he was featured at many exhibitions. Following this success Rivera studied further in Italy before returning to Mexico. He eventually married fellow artist Frida Kahlo. By this time his career as a respected artist was solidified.
The mural above was one of Riveras later works and was meant to depict the state of humanity in the 1930′s. The mural also includes examples of Rivera’s Post-Impressionist style. Rivera was a Communist and commonly represented Communist ideals in his work. Vladimir Lenin and Leo Trotsky are both included in Man, Controller of the Universe. I liked this mural because it is simple in style, yet incorporates so many figures. The attention is brought to the center and radiates outwards, making the whole mural seem meaningful. Even at the edges it doesn’t feel like any figure is overshadowed. The designs in the center are influenced by the art forms Rivera had studied and compliment his simpler form in the surrounding mural. I like the way he combined the different looks and used them to get across a message he felt was important. Rivera was an artist known for painting things the way he saw them. He wasn’t going to change his artwork for anyone else and that gives it merit.
December 5, 2009 at 1:49 am
Diego Rivera! I did Frida Kahlo. They are amazing. A little crazy, but all in all amazing. Did you ever see the move Frida? He was painting his Man at the Crossroads mural at the Rockefeller Center during the movie. The whole controversy and Frida Kahlo’s political views… it’s just amazing. I like Rivera’s work but not as much as Kahlo’s. Even through he had way more formal training than she did, her work always had a kind of edge to it that made it more real. But, then again, his murals were on a huge scale and their shear size made you step back and think about what you are seeing. Great post (and not just because I like the artist).