Exploring “Mexican Prints at the Vanguard” at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

The exhibition “Mexican Prints at the Vanguard” at the Metropolitan Museum of Art highlights the pivotal role of printmaking in Mexico’s artistic and cultural landscape, dating back to the arrival of Spanish colonists who introduced devotional woodcuts in the 1500s. Over the ensuing three centuries, these prints evolved, with letterpress madonnas and vibrant skeleton imagery spreading throughout the diverse fabric of the nation via broadsheets and newspapers. During the tumultuous period of the Mexican Revolution (1910-1920), striking posters featuring menacing depictions of plutocrats galvanized the peasantry into action.

One of the standout pieces, José Clemente Orozco’s “Rear Guard: women carrying rifles and children,” created in 1929, captures the essence of this revolutionary spirit. The artwork is emblematic of the dynamic interplay between social issues and artistic expression during this era.

After the Revolution, the French-born artist Jean Charlot, who dedicated many years to the Mexican art scene, made significant contributions to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. He not only donated numerous prints but also procured over 2,000 works from renowned artists such as Diego Rivera, José Clemente Orozco, Rufino Tamayo, Julio Ruelas, and José Guadalupe Posada. Almost all of the 130 lithographs, screen prints, and woodcuts showcased in “Mexican Prints” have been sourced from this extensive collection that Charlot meticulously curated.

The exhibition features a diverse array of works, including an 18th-century depiction of the Virgin of Guadalupe printed on white silk, alongside a captivating series of colorful silk-screens by Carlos Mérida, a Guatemalan-born artist who vividly documented regional costumes and traditional dances. However, the exhibition’s most profound impact stems from two significant bursts of creativity: the late 19th century, marked by Posada’s whimsical yet haunting skeletons that served a variety of purposes, ranging from humor to social commentary, and the early 20th century, when artists like Rivera contributed to the Communist Party-aligned newspaper, El Machete.

From a stylistic perspective, the works featured in the exhibition are remarkably diverse. They encompass:

• The raw and unflinching vigor characteristic of El Machete
• The polished serenity evident in Rivera’s lithographed portrayals of peasant heroes
• The rich, tactile quality found in the linocuts of Elizabeth Catlett, an artist who spent a significant portion of her life in Mexico

However, the historical narrative woven through these artworks is equally intricate. To delve deeper into this complexity, I reached out to Patricia Escárcega, a journalist and critic with a keen focus on Mexican and Chicano art. Below are selected excerpts from our enlightening conversation.