Hermes Arroyo

December 31, 2017

Internet connection problems prevented me from posting the last two days of my 2017 Mexican artist blog...

Happy Birthday Hermes Arroyo!

Born on New Year's Eve, December 31, 1970, in San Miguel Allende. He became interested in crafts in school when a classmate brought some handmade nativity figures by his father to show at school. He apprenticed with the father, Antonio Amanza and then attended Centro Cultural El Nigromante.

Arroyo is known best for his large paper mache puppets or "mojigangas".  The characteers are worn by  dancers in festivals and processions. They were originally religious in nature but today they are primarily historical, pop culture or bride and groom figures. Although he did not invent  these figures, he has become known as the artist responsible for their making, popularity, and preservation. He has received many commissions for his work and has exhibitd numerous times. Arroyo has taught handcrafts at summer camps and other venues and has worked with special needs students for over 20 years. 

David Alfaro Sisquieros

Happy Birthday David Alfaro Sisquieros!

One of the major proponents of the Mexican muralist movement (along with Diego Rivera and Jose Clemente Orozco), David Alfaro Sisquieros was born  on December 29, 1896, in Chihuahua. He was a social realist painter best known for his large murals. Sisquieros was rebellious beginning in his youth and continuing with his involvement in various uprisings into his adulthood with his involvement in the attempt on Leon Trotsky. Sisquieros  used his art to depict the struggle of the working class and various social issues. He felt art should be public, educational and ideological. It has been noted that many of his murals feature "hands" signifying "strength through work".

He is known for creating the world's largest mural for the Hotel de la Selva, in Mexico City. To achieve this feat, Sisquieros gathered a group of artists, creating 21 panels in his studio to be installed. This was to be his last major mural accomplishment.

Nicolas Moreno

Happy Birthday Nicolas Moreno!

Considered one of  best landscape painter of his time, Nicolas Moreno was born on December 28, 1923, in |Mexico City.  He was able to experience the Mexican countyside when his grandfather took him with him, while working as a muledriver. Surely these experiences helped influenced his later painting. Although the family was poor and he had to work to help support them, he did take classes at night at La Esmeralda. Moreno became a sketch artist, engraver, muralist, but most importantly a landscape painter.

His work has been exhibited all over the world in over 100 solo showings and numerous collective exhibits. His goal was to mainly document the varied landscape of Mexico, but in addition to point out the erosion and degradation of the countryside. Moreno attempted to paint his initial impression of the spot rather than enhancing with color or modifying it in any way.  He taught landscape painting at several schools and has won awards for his own painting,

Francisco Zuniya

Happy Birthday Francisco Zuniya!

Born on December 27, 1912, Jose Jesus Francisco Zuniya Chavarria was a Costa Rican born painter and sculptor. His parents were both sculptors and he began learning from them at an early age, even working in his father's workshop. For a short time attended Escuela de Bellas Artes and then continued his study of German Expressionism and French sculptors, Aristide Maillol and Auguste Rodin on his own.

At just age 17, Zuniga began receiving recognition of his painting and sculpture, winning awards in Costa Rica and Mexico. He also taught at La Esmeralda and became a Mexican citizen in 1986, after living in the country for 50 years.
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Zuniga is considered perhaps the most important sculptor of the "Mexican political style". Pre-Hispanic  work was a strong influence and traditional women represented maternity and family for the artist. His work is held in many public collections all over the world. Zuniga created over 35 public works. When he went blind toward the end of his life he began sculpting in terracotta.

Crouching Nude

Alexander Canedo

Happy Birthday Alexander Canedo!

Surrealist magic realism artist, Alejandro de Canedo (later Anglicizing his name), was born on December 26, 1902, in Mexico City, to Mexican father and American mother. When he was 15, he went to Paris and studied at Ecoles Nationale Supereiure des Beaux-Arts with sculptor Jean Magrou. He alo studied in Rome and had his first exhibit of pencil drawings there.

Canedo was commissioned to create several illustrations for books. He worked in watercolors and oils as well, placing his figures and objects in alien landscapes and unlikely settings. He relocated to California permanently and his work was exhibited exensively in the US.

Benjamin Peret

Merry Christmas!

Happy Birthday Benjamin Peret!

Today I am writing about Surrealist poet Benjain Peret, even though he was not a visual artist, his poetry served as inspiration and muse to many Surrealist artists, including Remedios Varo (see post). He was born on July 4, 1898, in Paris.

Peret began his writing career as a proofreader for newspapers. He was an activist and after being expelled from Brazil he retuned to Europe, where he met artist Remedios Varo, in Barcelona.. The couple first relocated to Paris and finally exiled to Mexico after the German occupation of France. Peret was an important influence in Latin American art, both visual as well as written. Many of his works have been translated to Spanish.

Little Song for the Maimed

Lend me your arm
To replace my leg
The rats ate it for me
At Verdun
At Verdun
I ate alot of rats
But they didn't give me back my leg
And that's why I was given the Croix de Guerre
And a wooden leg
And a wooden leg

Manuel Echauri

Happy Birthday Manuel Eschauri!


Manuel Echauri was born on Christmas, 1922, in Mexico City. He studied painting, first at Escuela de Pintor al Aire Libre, in Tlalpan, then at Academy de San Carlos. In addition to his artistic w,orks Echauri was also a teacher and founding member of the Salon de la Plastica Mexicana. 

Echauri was married twice and his first wife was also an artist, Esperanza Munoz Hoffmann. Echauri died at the age of 87, from liver cancer.

Woman at the Table (engraving)