The Blanco Art Collection

” ARTFUL REVOLUTION ” – at Howard Community College

This site has been set up for the purpose of providing information about the collection of Art from the Taller de Gráfica Popular, privately held by Virgilio S. Blanco and Joan Barr Blanco.

Selected works from the collection will be on Exhibit for the first time in the Fall of 2008 at Howard Community College, Columbia, Maryland, USA.

We would like to express our special thanks for their contributions and support to this site and to the upcoming Exhibit to:

Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas Solórzano

and to the Artists of Taller de Grafica Popular who opened their homes and workshops to us in the summer of 2007:

Adolfo Mexiac
Elizabeth Catlett
Arturo García Bustos and Rina Lazo
Jesús Álvarez Amaya

We thank the folowing for their support and contributions to this Website and to our friends and family members for their support in making the project of the Exhibit possible

BLANCO COLLECTION CONSULTANTS:

Julian Manelli – Curator. Owner of Mat About You Gallery in Ellicott City.
Octavio Blanco and Rivka Einy – Photography and Video of visit to Artists in 2007. Video will be on display during the Exhibit at Howard Community College.
Richard Herrera – Photography- Photos of Engravings
Betty Mackey – Photography- photos of the work by Moshe Gat and Rina Lazo.
Millie Ribeiro- Web Consultant and Designer, Photography: photos of work by Leopoldo Mendez, Luis arenal, and Alfredo Zalce. Under 60 seconds Video Clips for this site.
Pia Calderón- Washington DC Fine Artist and niece of Celia Calderón

Our thanks to the folowing for their efforts to make the Exhibit of the Taller de Gráfica Popular at the Howard Community College possible:

HOWARD COMMUNITY COLLEGE STAFF AND ORGANIZING COMMITTEE

Rebecca Bafford – Assistant Professor of Art/Director, Art Galleries
Marie Westhaver- Fina Arts Director
Jim Adkins – Art Director
Cheryl Berman – Program Coordinator
Jose Manuel Mendoza – Materials
Christele Cain – Reception Coordinator

We offer our thanks to the spirit of Celia Calderón for giving us the vision and the energy to continue her work of promoting Mexican pride and culture, through our website, here in Howard County, Maryland, USA.

Respectfully,

Virgilio S. Blanco and Joan Barr Blanco
Columbia, Maryland
Spring of 2008

” ARTFUL REVOLUTION ” – at Howard Community College

Preview the Exhibit.

Rebeca Badfford at Artful Revolution Exhibit 2008

Rebecca Badfford, Gallery Director at Howard Community College, shares her favorite print in the collection with us, on opening day, August 28, 2008. “My favorite print will probably be a different one every day. There are so many beautiful works here”, she added.

Click on the image to watch the video. You will need the latest version of Adobe Flash Player.

Works at the Exhibit
by Julian Manelli – Curator

Jesús Álvarez Amaya (1925 – ) Born in Mexico City, Amaya still currently lives there. His training included studies with Ramon Alva de la Canal. He joined the TGP in 1956. A determined social activist, he created many poster prints in support of the 1968 student demonstrations in Mexico City, including the often reproduced lithograph of Che Guevara. The work selected for this exhibit extols the role of President Cardenes in the reforms of the petroleum industry. 18 de Marzo 45.5 x 35 cm
Luis Arenal (1908 – 1985) Born in Mexico City, Arenal was almost entirely self-taught as an artist. While in his early twenties, Arenal began to work with and assist David Alfaro Siqueiros. He was one of the founding members of the TGP along with Leopoldo Mendez. He spent a seminal time of his artistic career in the United States receiving a number of key commissions for murals. A muralist as well as printmaker, sculptor and painter, the work selected for this exhibit displays his skillful transmutation from muralist to printmaker. Lázaro Cárdenas y la Reforma Agrariax 23 cm
Alberto Beltrán (1923 – 2002)<< Beltrán was born in Mexico City. His initial training was in commercial graphics, but under the guidance of Carlos Alvarodo Lang, he expanded his artistic development as well as his skills. He was a member of the TGP from 1948 to 1960. Much of his work is in the form of illustrations, posters and pamphlets. His works are didactic in nature, skillfully dense with subject matter. < < trong>Juárez elaborando cigarros<17 x 15 cm<
Arturo García Bustos (1926 – )<< Bustos was born in Mexico City. He was a devoted student and confident of Frida Kahlo, working closely with her during her most creative period (1943 to 1946). His selected work shows the transition from muralist to graphic artist. He married a fellow TGP member, Rina Lazo. Carga Contra el Pueblo 39 x 33.8 cm
Celia Calderón (1921 – 1969)<< Calderón was born and died in Mexico City. Educated in Mexico, her talents were recognized early on and she received a number of international scholarships. She was a member of the TGP from 1952 to 1965. She trained several generations of pupils during the 60’s and was highly respected. The works selected here express her virtuosity in capturing the images and spirit of Mexican women. eca 24 x 35 cm Mujer Indígena<<953 35 x 41.5 cm Cinco Mujeres 34 x 28 cm
Elizabett Catlett Mora (1919 – ) Born in Washington, DC, Catlett currently lives in Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico. Initially she pursued her artistic career in the United States, studying with Grant Woods and others. She moved to Mexico in 1946. From 1946 to 1965 she was a member of the TGP. Her roots as an African-American and her social consciousness are an integral part of many of her works. Afanadora 20 x 25 cm Niña<<6.5 x 40 m Cosechadora de Algodón<<2 x 54 cm Niño Bolero<<2.5 x 51 cm
Moshe Gat (1936 – ) Born in Haifa, Israel, Gat still lives there today. During 1958 and 1960 he resided in Mexico, where he joined the TGP. His early graphic work is both dramatic and expressive in its scale and subject. However, currently Gat is more well-known internationally for his paintings. Vendedora de Platos 15 x 94 cm Pescadores 53.5 x 94 cm
Elena Huerta (1908 – ) Elena was born in Saltillo, Coahuila. Her interests included the theater as well as the graphic arts. In 1939 she was a guest member of the TGP and in 1948 became a full member. The work selected for this exhibit presents her more naturalistic style. Cuescomates 45 x 34 cm EL Amate 56 x 43 cm
Xavier Iñiguez (1932 – 1979)<< Iñiguez was born in Vista Hermosa, Michoacan, and died in Mexico City. His artistic studies began in 1942, and in the 1950’s he won a number of scholarships. He was a muralist as well as a graphic designer. Iñiguez’ prints reflect his forceful muralist style. He was a member of TGP from 1956 to 1959. n<‘57 42 x 30.5 cm
Sarah Jimenez (1928 – ) Born in Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Jimenez lived in Mexico City and studied art at the San Carlos Academy. She joined the TGP in 1954 to 1967. She is known for her mural at the Belizario Dominguez School. She demonstrates the struggle of being Mexican in her art. Industria del Henequén<<5 x 29.5
Rina Lazo (1923 – ) Rina was born in Guatemala City, Guatemala. She studied and worked with Diego Rivera on a number of murals. While assisting at the TGP, she mastered engraving techniques under Leopoldo Mendez, Pablo O’Higgins and her future husband, Arturo García Bustos. Rina was a high-impact, social realist. neras Políticas<<8 x 40 cm
Maria Luisa Martín (1919- 1997 )<< A refugee from Spain, Martin immigrated to Mexico in 1939. She assisted Diego Rivera in the painting of the murals at Ciudad Universitaria and the Insurgentes Theater. From 1950 to 1953 she was a guest artist at the TGP, and from 1955 to 1965, a full member. Her work reflects her desire to show the everyday life of Mexicans. Mujer en Cinta ‘59 27 x 47 cm
Leopoldo Méndez (1902 – 1969)<< Born in Mexico City, Méndez is considered by many to be one of the great, masters of print. His long career began with training at the San Carlos Academy of Fine Arts. He was a founding member of the TGP and a prolific artist, working as a book illustrator, muralist and designer of posters and magazines. The work displays the didactic nature as well his skill as a print make.r << situación campesina<<4.5 x 32 cm
Adolfo Mexiac (1927 – ) Mexiac was born in Esperanza, Michoacan and currently lives in Cuernavaca, Mexico. He was a member and officer of the TGP from 1950 to 1959. One of his well-known works is a large scale woodcut print which measures 6 square meters in size, done for the National Anthropological Institute. Mexiac articulates present reality as well as an uncertain future in his works that are designed to deliver a visual punch. Campesinos (Futuro Incierto) 58.5 x 39 cm Viendo una Vaquería <<‘58 61 x 40 cm Oración Indígenax 32 cm
Francisco Mora (1922 -1998 ) Born in Uruapan, Michoacán, Mora lived in Cuernavaca, Morelos. Between 1941 and 1944 he studied at <<e Esmeralda Academy in Mexico City while making a living painting houses. He was a member of the TGP from 1941 to 1965. In 1946 he married Elizabeth Catlett. His work includes engravings, linocuts and murals. The works in this exhibit illustrate his allegorical interpretation of reality. Estudiantes con Protección<<2.6 x 18 cm Sueño y Realidad<<0 x 40 cm
Pablo O’Higgins (1904 – 1983) A native of Salt Lake City, UT, O’Higgins immigrated to Mexico in 1926 and was an associate of Diego Rivera. A founding and long-time member of the TGP, he began his artistic career as a muralist but he is considered one of the masters of printmaking. His art and his life were politically active. He, together with Leopoldo Méndez, were implicated in the murder of Leon Trotsky in 1940. His graphic drawings are clear and forceful, displaying his care in design and subject focus. uyendo la Casa 34 x 46.5 cm El Capataz 46.5 x 34 cm La Carreta 65 x 46 cm
Mercedes Quevedo (1938 – ) Quevedo was a member of the TGP from 1958 to 1965. She studied with Alberto Bertron. Her work is more closely associated with posters and illustrations. She has a great admiration for Celia Calderon and Elizabeth Catlett. The work selected for this exhibit demonstrate her sensibility for the sentimental and serene. Ofrenda de Paz 23.5 x 38.5 cm Amor Sencillo y Profundo 35 x 38.9 cm Cabeza de Niña<<6.6 x 30.6 cm
Adolfo Quinteros (1928 -2002) A native Chihuahua, Mexico, Quinteros was gifted from an early age; he won numerous art scholarships. He joined the TGP in 1951 and was associated with it until the mid 60’s. Recognized for his ability for composition and depth, his displayed work clearly shows his printmaking virtuosity. a Pesca ‘58 66 x 33.9 cm
Fanny Rabel (1922 – 1998) (also Rabinovich) was born August 27, 1922 in Poland. She lived in Mexico City.. Her art education was international beginning in France. A member of the TGP from 1949 to 1961, she was an associate of Los Tres Grandes, working closely with David Alfaro Siqueiros. Her style is internationally rooted, favoring directness through basic assemblages of shapes. Niño Indígena2 x 35.1 cm
David Alfaro Siqueiros (1896–1975) Along with Diego Rivera and José Clemente Orozco, Siqueiros was one of the most important artists in the Mexican mural movement. He was also an accomplished printmaker and was associated with the TGP in the 1930’s and early 1940’s. Politically active, he was twice exiled from Mexico, once in 1932 and again in 1940, following his assassination attempt on Leon Trotsky. His print of Emiliano Zapata is an icon of Mexican printmaking art. trong>55.3 x 42.5 cm
Mariana Yampolsky (1923 – 2002) Born in the United States, Yampolsky’s art education began at the University of Chicago. She came to Mexico in 1944 and was absorbed by its culture and people. She was a member of the TGP from 1945 to1960 and its first woman director. Later in her career she turned to photography, but in this exhibit we have two early works that capture her ability to transmit emotions in print. ados en el Jardin 23 x 38.8 cm Madre de Juárez<<0.3 x 23 cm
Alfredo Zalce (1908 – 2003) A native of Patzcuaro, Michoacan, Mexico, Zalce’s artist roots are deep in Mexico spanning over 70 years. One of the founders of the TGP, today he is recognized more for his paintings, murals, sculptures and photographs than his printmaking. But his prints show his love of Morelia’s landscape, rural markets, mestiza women and native fauna. res Cocinando 53 x 38 cm

” ARTFUL REVOLUTION ” – at Howard Community College

INTRODUCTION to the Exhibit
by Julian Manelli – Curator

The dramatic social changes ushered in by the Mexican Revolution (1910-1920) were the roots of the “Artful Revolution.” This exhibit acknowledges the unrecognized role of the artists of the Taller de Grafica Popular (TGP) in changing the face of 20th century graphic arts.

The TGP believed that graphic art had a social and moral obligation to teach Mexicans about their history and the important ideals of the revolution. The TGP works of art are for the most part didactic, breaking new ground in the way they interpreted the world. The messages conveyed by the works were easily understood and accessible to mass audiences. The products of the TGP were posters, single prints, illustrations and series.

A national culture was in the remaking and President Lazaro Cardenas (1934-1940) had a lasting impact on this. Cardenas recognized the role of visual art and encouraged and supported workshops such as the TGP.

The TGP art presented pre-Columbian, native Indian and mestizo images and culture. These artists shed 19th century neo-classicism and captured people, society and the environment in a realistic new vision. Through the use of linocut methods, they broke new ground in design and technique—simple, unadorned lines with stark contrasts. Their shear artistic virtuosity, for example, is demonstrated in their ability to obtain depth without perspective, paying tribute to their roots but not copying pre-Columbian styles.

TGP membership was open to all applicants; the founding members were proud that the TGP was composed primarily of individual artists of working class origin. Work was collaborative and collective; artists were expected to work in the printing operation and production shop. All work was reviewed and a lively critical atmosphere allowed individual artists to grow and learn. In this charged environment experimentation and design creatively fused resulting in works that resonated visually, emotionally and intellectually.

In their art, a visual representation of Mexican pride, pride in the cultural heritage of all Mexicans, Mexicanidad (“Mexicanness”) was born—truly an American Continent-rooted modern art movement. The TGP movement produced a new native and visionary style readily recognizable that was exported internationally

TGP’s open and collaborative workshop was widely admired. It was a magnet for Mexican and non-Mexican artists alike. Many artists from other countries came to work at the TGP (some as guest artists like Elizabeth Catlett – USA- and others who decided to remain). They exported and internationalized many of the TGP techniques and philosophy. Workshops like the TGP were founded in other countries because of this interchange. In the United States print shops inspired by the TGP include the Universal Limited Art Editions (ULAE) in Long Island , New York and Gemini G.E.L. in Los Angeles .

While the world today recognizes this style through the more popularly known works of “Los Tres Grandes” (the muralists Rivera, Oroszco and Siqueiros), this exhibit seeks to shed light on the equally important but not well known role of the TGP artists.

Bibliography:

A Brief History of Mexico by Lynn V. Foster.

A Concise History of Mexico by Brian R. Hamnett.

Mexico and Modern Printmaking : a Revolution in the Graphic Arts, 1920 to 1950 edited by John Ittmann with contributions by Innis Howe Shoemaker, James M Wechsler and Lyle W. Williams

Prints of the Mexican Masters by the Mexican Fine Arts Center , Museum of Chicago

” ARTFUL REVOLUTION ” – at Howard Community College

Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas Solórzano has accepted our invitation to attend the Inaugural Reception of the Exhibit “Artful Revolution” to be held at Howard Community College, Howard County, Maryland, in the fall of 2008.

Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas Solórzano , is a prominent Mexican politician. He is known in Mexico as the as the Moral Leader of the Mexican Political Left, and is a founding member of the Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD) and current President of Alternative Democracy and to Debate Foundation.

He has held relevant Political positions obtained through popular elections such as: Mexico city Mayor, first mayor elected to that position; Governor of the state of Michoacán, Senator to the Republic, he also has occupied high level administrative position in Mexican Administration. He has been Under Secretary for Forest among others. His very active political life keeps him in touch with people from low income and economically depressed regions of Mexico. In those regions his work is considered an important factor in the creation of political programs for the improvement of the regions and welfare of the people. Because of his close contact to these areas, and because of his political honesty and integrity, his opinions and his voice are sought by the Mexican Political Establishment for the creation and implementation of policies, as well as for political decisions at the highest levels regarding natural resources, industrializations, and for their general development.

Under his Administration as Chief Executive of Mexico City he finalized the requirements and gave the present building where Popular Graphic Workshop is located, as a gift to the Taller for the Great National and International work had done. His father Lázaro Cárdenas del Rio, Mexican President 1934-1940, supported all popular causes and the TGP.

” ARTFUL REVOLUTION ” – at Howard Community College

“Intellectuals worldwide may have collected works by Diego Rivera in the 1930’s, but there was an equally passionate group of artists in Mexico known as the Taller de Grafica Popular (TGP). During this period of political upheaval, their mission was to show the meaning of being Mexican, including their history, ideals, politics and society. Their prints show the economic and political conflicts that were consuming their country in its struggle for rebirth.”

Julian A. Manelli, Curator .

Through this website and through the Artful Revolution Exhibit at Howard Community College, we recognize the importance of the vision of:Mexican President LÁZARO CÁRDENAS DEL RÍO (1934-1940). With his support, the creation of art was promoted in the Americas

It is an honor to announce on this website that Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas Solórzano, son of Mexican President LÁZARO CÁRDENAS DEL RÍO, has accepted our invitation to attend the Opening Reception of the “Artful REvolution” Exhibit. Read his introduction to this Exhibit.

We would like to express our special thanks for their contributions and support to this site and to the upcoming Exhibit, to Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas Solórzano and to the Artists of Taller de Grafica Popular who opened their homes and workshops to us in the summer of 2007. .

Virgilio S. and Joan Barr Blanco

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Photos taken of the Artists and of Mr. Cárdenas, who were interviewed for this site in the summer of 2007 follow below

Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas Solórzano

Under Cuahutémoc Cárdenas’ Administration as Chief Executive of Mexico City, he was able to give the Taller de Gráfica Popular the building where it is presently located, as a gift for the Great National and International work the Taller has done.current President of the Fundación para la Democracia, Alternativa y Debate. http://www.ccardenass.org/

Click on “The exhibit Artful Revolution and Lázaro Cárdenas.” to read a letter from Cuahutémoc Cárdenas to all visitors of this Exhibit and of this website.

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This site has been set up for the purpose of providing information about the collection of Art from the Taller de Gráfica Popular, privately held by Virgilio S. Blanco and Joan Barr Blanco. Selected works from their collection will be on Exhibit for the first time in the Fall of 2008 at Howard Community College, Columbia, Maryland, USA.