BajaNomad

Artes de Mexico

bajajudy - 8-24-2007 at 03:37 PM

I hope y'all dont mind but I am excited about some new books that we have on the website.
They are bilingual. They are gorgeous and some of the topics are very interesting. A chance to learn more about this wonderful country, Mexico.

Go to the website( http://www.bajabooksandmaps.com ) and look in the water at the left and you will see Artes de Mexico. Click on this and you can check out all of these books.

We also have them available here in San Jose in our showroom.

Eli - 8-24-2007 at 05:58 PM

YEAH!!!!!!!!!!! Judy, thank you, thank you, thank you.

I use to have to haul and ship art books from my trips to the South, more and more you are creating space in my luggage and shippments.

Of course, I always find a way to fill that space with other stuff, like original art, jeje, funny how the space always finds a way to fill.

DENNIS - 8-24-2007 at 06:46 PM

Hi Judy...........
Do you have any books [ oh, I don't think they would have to be book length ] that disclaim the freaky little loser, Kahlo, as an artist? Her only claim to art was her sordid relationship to Diego. Her life was pathetic, not artistic. She couldn't even find notariety in the Surrealistic movement in it's time.
Too bad for Kahlo that she wasn't born later, to suffer in the art world of todays illustrators with their bleeding eyeballs and simian fantasys.
Kahlo was a hack.....a spin-off of her husband and a tolerance of the art movement of the time. Weston couldn't understand her because there was nothing to understand.

OK.......Sorry for the wandering off.

Paula - 8-24-2007 at 07:33 PM

Judy, I've seen some of the Artes de Mexico books, in fact I have La Tijuana. They are beautiful, and full of background information to promote understanding of Mexican art and craft. I've also been waiting for the Mexican Muralists book, which tells the history of the country through the eyes of three great artists, to come out in paper cover so I can afford it. So much good news!

Dennis, I think you just don't understand where Freida comes from. There are a lot of excellent books on her life and her relationship with Diego. She suffered greatly in her life, both physically and emotionally, and some of this was due to her marriage. Both she and Diego have had a great impact on the cultural history of Mexico, and to dismiss her as "a hack and spin-off of her husband displays amazing ignorance. She had a successful career in art, independent of his.

But maybe you really know this, and were just trolling.

DENNIS - 8-24-2007 at 07:59 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Paula
Dennis, I think you just don't understand where Freida comes from. There are a lot of excellent books on her life and her relationship with Diego. She suffered greatly in her life, both physically and emotionally, and some of this was due to her marriage. Both she and Diego have had a great impact on the cultural history of Mexico, and to dismiss her as "a hack and spin-off of her husband displays amazing ignorance. She had a successful career in art, independent of his.

But maybe you really know this, and were just trolling.

No. No way did she have a successful career as an artist during her life but for the association with Diego. She was a product of the gasping surrealist movement. Her work was Daliesque, an effort to be bizarre. Who else, in that time, would have melting timepieces or monkeys walking around their face?
She had a succesful career...yes. Had she presented her crap, independent of Diego and the close proximity to the art community which he provided, she would have been ignored. She should have been anyway. Her paintings were bizarre pleadings just as was her pathetic life which was torn between communism, wealth and betrayal.
She was nothing in the art world when alive. She only became important after being a long time dead. I guess her worth will continue to accumulate.

By the way Paula...........Where did Freida "come from" as you say?
Not trying to be cute.........Just looking for something...anything.

Paula - 8-24-2007 at 09:25 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by DENNIS


She had a succesful caree r...yes.Had she presented her crap, independent of Diego and the close proximity to the art community which he provided, she would have been ignored.

By the way Paula...........Where did Freida "come from" as you say?
Not trying to be cute.........Just looking for something...anything.


How could anyone possibly know this Dennis? Determining what would have happened is really no more possible than predicting what will happen tomorrow.

Due to a freak bus accident when she was young, she suffered severe pain for her entire life. She was often bedridden and in a body cast that resticted her movement. Some people may have responded differently to her situation, but she was who she was. She was a complex and interesting person, and I am not a biographer, so I'll not try to explain her life and psyche. You could read about her, or you may go on spouting unreasonable critisms of her work. You're right in that it wasn't always pretty, but it surely was honest, and art is communication, not just decoration.

Gnome-ad - 8-24-2007 at 11:05 PM

After a long break I am back to BajaNomad, though I will still not find too much time for it since we have a big truck of stuff now coming from the north. But as Amir read this thread to me, I knew I had to post at least a little something.

bajajudy ~ First of all my sincere thanks to you I understand exactly what Eli means. This will free up lots of luggage space for me as well.

Hi Paula and thank you for expressing so eloquently about Freida Kahlo’s life. Hearing it inspired me that I just had to add this from me for Dennis.

I would say to you, Dennis, that the first Kahlo painting I saw, I was not terribly impressed. I did not get what all the big whoopdeedo was about. Then I read the story of her life and about some of the paintings. Today I know she was a remarkable artist and I love her work and have not only great appreciation, but I would even call it a reverence for her process, though some of her paintings are painful to look at. And whether being successful during one’s own life, which I do believe she was, is any measure of an artist there are surely many that break that rule. Many times that is what art is about – breaking rules, whether ours, society’s, the church’s or our parent's. Freida painted unflinching self-portrait studies that explored the depth of her pain, both physical and emotional, as well as the fleeting joys. Diego believed she was the true artist of the two. My humble opinion is that they were both amazingly talented and contributed much to twentieth century art.

~ Gnome-ad

DENNIS - 8-25-2007 at 08:00 AM

A bus accident? I thought she was run over by a truck. I havn't read much at all about her. My opinion of any artist is formed by their art alone and, even a Rorschach ink blot could be considered art if the clinical application were kept out of it. They lose the artful interpretation when their purpose is known.
I see Kahlo in the same light. If empathy for her crumpled condition is necessary to understand her work, then her work becomes a clinical statement. A testimony to her well-being. A chart hanging on the end of a hospital bed. Seeing her art without reading the program is, for me, uninspiring and uncomfortable. Almost assaultive. I ask myself why I was subjected to this.
I think she was born too early to fully realize her potential. She would have gone a long way airbrushing motorcycle gas tanks.

Just my opinion, of course.

Paula - 8-25-2007 at 08:21 AM

Dennis, I think you should simply avoid looking at Kahlo's work.

The edit was not for spelling.

[Edited on 8-25-2007 by Paula]

elizabeth - 8-25-2007 at 09:24 AM

Judy-

Good to see that you have Artes de Mexico...I too, have hauled them back in my suitcase...usually from Mexico City! I had once contemplated a subscription, but it is very expensive, and I didn't want all issues.

Dennis-

I second Paula's suggestion that you not look if you don't like Frida Kahlo's work. And it was a bus accident...bus collided with trolley. She also contracted polio at age 6. I doubt, since you don't think much of her, that you have really seen much of her work. She was enormously talented, and was appreciated by her contemporaries on her own merits, independently of Diego. Part of her lack of similar popular fame was that women were not taken as seriously as artists as men were. You certainly have a right not to like her work...but, your personal and virulent attacks are not really much about art.

Paula,

There is a chronicle book "Mexican Muralists" about Orozco, Rivera and Siqueiros by Desmond Rochfort that places the murals in a political and cultural context with astonishingly good color reproductions...in paperback.

bajajudy - 8-25-2007 at 09:51 AM

Elizabeth
We also have "Mexcan Muralists" available from our website or here in San Jose. It was one of our first titles and we have sold many copies.

I am so happy to see some art discussions on the board. We all cant fish, surf or off road. Although I like to do all of the above. And, as with all topics, all opinions should be explored.....or exploited.

toneart - 8-25-2007 at 12:22 PM

Judy,
Thank you for bringing art books to San Jose, and for informing members of this board.

Dennis has his opinion regarding Frieda Kahlo. Even though I disagree with his opinion, it is good that his opinion has stirred up a discussion of art.
Kahlo? I genuinely like her work! There must be at least one other person in history who also likes it. That makes her successful and her work valid.
Her work can and does stand independent of Rivera's. Her imagery is not easy to look at, but her painting is wonderful.

If you want to compare her work to that of her husbands, I would say that her work is timeless; highly unique, emotive and evocative (Dennis, check into your gut and tell me she is not evocative. You have already demonstrated that). Diego too was an accomplished, fine artist. His mural work in public places struck the Mexican National political and emotional mood of its time. It represented the revolutionary pride of its people, and that period also coincided with an art movement of international renown. Yes, his wife Frieda got attention for her work by association with her famous husband. That was a lucky break. There are many fine artists who don't get known because they don't get the breaks. Frieda was definately in the right place at the right time. She also had a gregarious personality and temprament which drew lots of attention; an "artist's temprament", if you will. Great art comes from intense emotional experience, if the artist is good. Frieda had the talent to convey that emotional experience. That makes it real. That goes for great art in any medium, not just visual.

So, like it or not, but let's continue to blather away!:yes:

(Gremlins who live in computers mess with neat paragraphs and then blame it on Me. :o:rolleyes: The paragraphs did not look like this when I trustingly pushed that fateful post button and committed my words to cyberspace. Oh, the shame!)

[Edited on 8-25-2007 by toneart]

DENNIS - 8-25-2007 at 12:57 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by toneart
His mural work in public places struck the Mexican National political and emotional mood of its time. It represented the revolutionary pride of its people, and that period also coincided with an art movement of international renown.

He could, and occasionally did speak with the political fervor of the time. Too bad he chose one of those times to paint/speak out while doing a mural in Rockefeller Center for Nelson himself. His portrait of Lenin didn't fit the Rockefeller philosophy and Nelson told him to take it out of the mural.
Diego wouldn't do that so, he was paid off and shown the door. The mural was covered and, I'm not sure, probably destroyed.
I wonder why he thought Rocky would sit back and allow Lenin to grace the walls of the family showpiece? Who in that world would be more anti-communist than the Rockefellers? Everybody lost on that one.

elizabeth - 8-25-2007 at 01:44 PM

The Rockefeller Center mural was reproduced in the Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City...

[Edited on 8-25-2007 by elizabeth]

DENNIS - 8-25-2007 at 01:47 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by elizabeth
The Rockefeller Center mural was reproduced in the Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City...

[Edited on 8-25-2007 by elizabeth]

Was the original destroyed?

Eli - 8-25-2007 at 02:30 PM

Art is as subjuctive a subject as I could ever imagine. One of my favorite past times is observing people's reaction to art, what might sing to one soul, doesn't even speak to another, or totally repluses another. Alas, I must admit from my post watching the world go by, I see more pass and see nothing than are stirred to stop and really look at any piece of art.

Me, I am one of the lucky ones, Art calls to me in many forms, almost daily I am impressed with some known or unknown artist work that I stumble across on my way. The medium doesn't matter to me, it can be painted on canvas or cardboard or a piece of tin, paper mache or bronze sculputure, if I relate to what the artist is expressing, it is valid to me.

I remember once I obtained a poster of one Frida's less know pieces; Reflections in the Bathtub, it was one of her more radical pieces showing her feet reflected back at her in a tub of water. There were different images circiling her feet, the most radical being two lady lovers embracing naked on a bed, a dead bird, and other things that I expect were wandering her mind at the time. I hung that poster above my desk, off in a corner, not so easily seen, but where I could enjoy it.

Guadalupe, The Lady who cleaned the gallery at that time is an old family friend, mid 50's like me, of conservative nature, she is not one to share to deeply her feelings with me, although she easily laughs, I know that there have been at least as many tears as smiles in her life. Ay que mi Lupe, sometimes she would dust a sculputure and leave it laying on it's side or re- sit it upside down, ni modo, you know, she just did not see what I saw so easily.

Anyway, one day I caught Lupe studying Frida's bath tub reflection and asked her what she thought of it. Her comment gave me an insight into Lupe that I had never before imagined.;She told me how that piece spoke to her more than anything I had in my little gallery, that it pulled on her heart and she related to how the mind wanders to private places reflecting on ones life while soaking alone in the water. And how brave she thought Frida was for sharing her private world with us. You know, I just never would have imagined Lupe going there.

In the end the poster stayed with me for a couple more years, few people ever tuned into it besides Lupe. That is until one day a lady in her 90´s spotted it, and again I watched Frida's reflections sing to someone and this very hip little old lady happily took the poster home with her. So, now I only have that particular Frida image in my minds eye, I must admit it is a little cloudy now, still it's impression I can call it up when ever I want, like I did just now.

Frida speaks to me, studying her work has given me much insperation and has contributed to my growth as an artist- You know, Frida had a great sence of humor, I see it easily in her art, it speaks to me even more than the pain or her political visions, god, I love her humor.

Again I thank you Judy, for starting this thread, and everyone else for giving their heat felt vision of what an artist can say to them. Whiter I agree or not, doesn't matter, after all art is a subjective subject if there ever was one, I am just glad to know people are thinking about art after all.

elizabeth - 8-25-2007 at 02:58 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by DENNIS
Quote:
Originally posted by elizabeth
The Rockefeller Center mural was reproduced in the Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City...

[Edited on 8-25-2007 by elizabeth]

Was the original destroyed?


The original was not quite finished when it was destroyed. Rivera was paid the $21,000 by Rockefeller. He painted the identical mural when he returned to Mexico in 1935.

toneart - 8-25-2007 at 05:10 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by DENNIS
Quote:
Originally posted by toneart
His mural work in public places struck the Mexican National political and emotional mood of its time. It represented the revolutionary pride of its people, and that period also coincided with an art movement of international renown.

He could, and occasionally did speak with the political fervor of the time. Too bad he chose one of those times to paint/speak out while doing a mural in Rockefeller Center for Nelson himself. His portrait of Lenin didn't fit the Rockefeller philosophy and Nelson told him to take it out of the mural.
Diego wouldn't do that so, he was paid off and shown the door. The mural was covered and, I'm not sure, probably destroyed.
I wonder why he thought Rocky would sit back and allow Lenin to grace the walls of the family showpiece? Who in that world would be more anti-communist than the Rockefellers? Everybody lost on that one.


"Everybody lost on that one."....... especially the Rockefellers. Diego got paid and then reproduced it at the Bellas Artes in D.F. ,where it was welcomed and wanted. I have seen it and it is a splendid work, typical of Rivera's style. Unlike Rockefeller, Lenin represented the ideals of the worker. I don't think Diego believed that was a bad thing, but he surely misread the political climate in the U.S.A., or maybe he just wanted to "stick it" to us.:smug:

mtgoat666 - 8-25-2007 at 08:50 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by bajajudy
and look in the water at the left and you will see Artes de Mexico. Click on this and you can check out all of these books.

We also have them available here in San Jose in our showroom.


Funny the nomads here don't ever pick up on it, but Tijuana has a very active and vibrant art scene.
In fact, it's really has more active arts than that larger city to the north, San Diego.
Y'all need to get out of the car in TJ, there is some cool stuff happening. I get the idea some here are afraid to stop in TJ -- if you need safety of big shows, and formal planning, the timid can check out big outdoor show coming up 2nd or 3rd weekend in October at CECUT.

Eli - 8-26-2007 at 09:34 AM

mtgoat666, I just tried with no luck googleing CECUT in Tijuaua for more information on the forthcoming Oct. art show.

Do you have access to a website where one could get information about showing and visiting this show?

I have an Amigo who is a Oaxacan Artist who wants to go to Tijuana to visit his daugters in the near future. In my opinion his work is exceptional and it would be great if he could kill two birds with one stone, ie. visit family and do the show.

mtgoat666 - 8-26-2007 at 11:47 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Eli

Do you have access to a website where one could get information about showing and visiting this show?


entijuanarte07

http://www.entijuanarte.com/

there are lots of galleries in TJ too.

Eli - 8-26-2007 at 12:06 PM

Thank You very much mtgoat666- After I posted my last note, I went back to Google and did find CECUT, but is still couldn't find the dang festival.

Than I got your link, and yep, that took me there. So, I have e-mailed it to my friend, and hopefully he can make good use of it. I know heart and soul that he is happier here in the Colonial South where his art is known and he has developed a reputation, and, well, he just doesn't like the North and Tijuana. He has told me stories from past trips and that all they wanted from him when he tried to break into the scene there was copies of other artist.

Although it isn't very likly one would find me North of La Paz, from about 30 years gone by, I agree with your advise, I too found much value in wandering around Tijuana. I expect if you know where to go, there is art everywhere in Mexico.