Art Comparison

Compare and Contrast Works of Art

Bright colors jumping at you asking for attention, images so real viewers can not tell the difference. These are the thoughts that came to my head as I gazed at two works of art by two Mexican artists at MoLAA museum of art . I visited two museums, Bowers Museum of cultural Art in the heart of Southern California and the Museum of Latin American Art in Long Beach for my report unfortunately I only liked the works in MoLAA and will talk about it through out my paper. I will talk about two Mexican artists Rafael Cauduro and David Alfaro Siqueros that caught my eye, and made me want to learn more of them and their approach to art. Siqueiros caught my eye and interest because according to his biography "no individual associated with the arts with the possible exception of AndrÐ"© Malraux, had been involved in direct political action more than David Alfaro Siqueiros" (Siqueiros Biography online). Personally that to me said a lot and that got me intrigued, and made me want to know more about him and his work. Cauduro on the other hand got me intrigued through his illusionistic approach to art and interpretation of his view of things. Eve thought they seem like different approach to art they are both similar in different ways.

My first artist is Rafael Cauduro. Rafael Cauduro was born in capital city of Mexico and now resides in the city of Cuernavaca (state of Morelos) 1950. Rafael started out making superior studies of architecture and industrial design in the Latin American University in Mexico City. According to his biography Cauduro is a self taught painter who steps outside of traditional artist's standard. Cauduro's paintings contain a "trompe de l'oeil" (Fool the eye) quality as indicated in by how in his paintings walls, fences, and objects are so real that people can almost touch them. To the visual realism of Cauduros work, according to critic Ruiz Soto, adds what he termed "critical illusion" which combines an extreme technical proficiency with fantasy-filled concepts(www.rafael cauduro.com). Rafael Cauduro painting technique is of a surrealism in which the reality of dreams, or subconscious mind are as more real than the surface reality of everyday life (Sayre p.51). Cauduro paints in a Surrealistic way usually portraying the forces of dreams and subconscious that he has been famous for. This artistic movement originated in Europe in the early part of the 20th century and had a great impact on contemporary Mexican Art (www.rafaelcauduro.comm). Cauduro paints supernatural scenarios with realism akin to 17th century masters like Dutch artists Rembrandt van Rijin (Painting information Cauduro).

The piece I choose to critic is titled "Buscado por su madre" or "Wanted by his Mother" by Rafael Cauduro, no year. This piece is an Oil on Canvas painting that measured 48"x36" located at the Long Beaches MoLAA. The work is presented as one of a few Mexican artists that share an interest in their painting primarily figurative style, political in nature, that often narrated the history of Mexico or the indigenous culture. The painting is one of the first viewers see as they enter the Museum. It is at eye level and demonstrates a superb use of illusionistic realism that it creates the illusion of being real. The painting is of a old Missing poster of a man on a brick wall. What made it stand out in my eyes was the fact that it looked to be a three dimensional object on what looked like real bricks with the words wanted by mother on the top. Cauduro's piece, in my eyes looked like he literally took a chunk out of a wall, and placed an old torn missing poster of a man on the front and put it out for display. Cauduro uses texture to represent the look of brick by applying thick strokes of paint creating a body of its own as and mimics the look and shape of brick. He also makes applies the same technique on the wanted poster by implying that it is old and torn by again layering his paint to create the look of volume and his use of lifelike color so true, viewers thought it was real The subject matter of the work depicts that of a missing man, but the content tells that this individual has been missing for some while, but the only one searching is his mother. Which depicts how the people in Mexico go missing so often for so long that, the only people left searching is the mother. In my opinion people are hardly ever found that these posters stay on walls for years on end with out anybody doing anything about them. There is a much bigger picture here that people who know the work and the background of the artist would be able to understand and comprehend, which Cauduro tries to depict. I think that this work means a lot to the artist and clearly tries to show everyday life from his point of view. I think that he clearly tries to show the world that there is a problem that exists and in my opinion tries to bring out to the open. This to me means that there are people out who try to make a difference some how and not try to hide what society tries not to show.

The other artist I choose to critic is known artist David Alfaro Siqueiros, a more a political painter compared to Rafael Cauduro. Siqueiros was a student agitator, soldier, and a leader of an assassination squad (http://www.mexconnect.com/mex_/history/jtuck/jtsiqueiros.html). Siqueiros is also considered one the artistic masters of the twentieth century, a member of that great Mexican school of mural painting that includes JosÐ"© Clemente Orozco and Diego Rivera (http://www.mexconnect.com/mex_/history/jtuck/jtsiqueiros.html). According to Siqueiros biography, he was born in Chihuaua, Mexico 1896 and died and 1974. He was interested politics at an early age and became involved in the Mexican Revolution. As a result, he was given a scholarship to study in Europe where he met Diego Rivera(http://www.mexconnect.com/mex_/history/jtuck/jtsiqueiros.html). He taught for some time in New York City, inspiring artists such as Jackson Pollock (http://www.mexconnect.com/mex_/history/jtuck/jtsiqueiros.html).