The Objective

The purpose of this website is to explore the murals of Diego Rivera and their political implications in the United States, specifically, in the cities of San Francisco, Detroit, and New York City. We will examine the exhibitions in each of the aforementioned cities i.e., the murals he produced for each city, his reception by the American public, his intent behind the murals, and the controversy he received for some of his paintings. His paintings represented various social issues pertaining to the labor movement, his political views, his prospective outlook of society, and his understanding of the Mexican identity. Like his compatriots, Jose Clemente Orozco and David Siquieros, Rivera wanted to tell a story with his paintings. Arising from his work is the essence of the culture he means to portray. His murals contain the spirit of the people from all walks of life ranging from the working class to the leaders of society in both the past and the present. Even though his murals in the United States encompassed an array of aspects of human life, his main focus was the industrial system in America and the people entrenched within the system. His depictions of the people helps to give a sense of how workers feel during the bustling industrial era of the United States. Despite the fact that these murals were produced in America, Diego Rivera maintains his Mexican roots that influence the principles behind his work. Therefore, it is also necessary to delve into the life of the legendary muralist in order to understand his passion and his purpose.