Orozco

Dartmouth College in New Hampshire has an interesting feature. Its library showcases some of the most subversive art from the first half of the 20th century.

Here, at an Ivy League college—the very essence of a prestigious university—sits a scathing critique of higher education, where ominous professorial ghouls observe a stillborn skeleton-baby. Then, they proudly display their prized possessions in specimen display domes.

photo: Miss Anthropology

This criticism of higher education might seem misplaced at a place like Dartmouth, but it’s also a part of a much bigger piece of work. This series of murals in the library is called The Epic of American Civilization, and its creator was José Clemente Orozco.

Orozco quickly became one of my favorite artists when I was in college. I was an art major, but quickly realized that I had all of my elective requirements taken care of (I wrote about this a bit here in my piece about judo). This being the case, I briefly considered pursuing a minor in art history, but decided instead to just enjoy a few extra classes before graduating.

You can read a little about my time painting here.

Back to Orozco: suffice it to say, I was blown away by these murals. The university has set up a virtual tour; go and check it out and then come back.

I was keenly interested in subversive art—music or visual art that challenged the status quo in sneaky ways, and I found some of that in punk rock, in the music of Weird Al, and in plenty of literature. Orozco’s art was an excellent visual representations of this kind of criticism of institutions. Sure, there’s some shock value (not entirely unimportant!), but there’s also a deeper layer of nuance designed to get you to think in a different way.

Orozco witnessed the seismic shifts of the Mexican Revolution and the ensuing social and political upheaval. These events profoundly influenced his artistic vision, leading him to become a key figure in the Mexican Mural Movement.

You might have heard of Diego Rivera, or maybe you’re more familiar with his wife, Frida Kahlo. Diego Rivera and fellow muralist David Alfaro Siqueiros, like Orozco, used their murals to give a voice to the voiceless, to those marginalized by the institutions they critiqued.

While some of their criticism is often very heavy handed, these muralists also told the story of human nature. They offered not only cautionary tales, but also inspiration and optimism.

By Los Angeles Times - https://digital.library.ucla.edu/catalog/ark:/21198/zz0002pkgk, CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=137476653

To me, Orozco's work has always stood apart from the other muralists. Using fiery emotion and stark realism, he depicted the rawness of human suffering and the complexities of societal change. His murals were not just powerful political statements; they peeled back the curtain on the human condition.

In "The Epic of American Civilization," Orozco navigates through the history of the Americas, painting a narrative that is both celebratory and critical of civilization's progress. This level of nuance stands in contrast to Siqueiros, whose work was scathing and critical, but more of a social commentary than a mirror of humanity; and to Rivera, whose work wasn’t scathing enough for me.

Art has the power to criticize, but also to inspire, and it might be fair to say that I was inspired by the way in which Orozco pointed out some things he saw as needing improvement. In this way, The Epic of American Civilization offers us not just a window into the past, but also a mirror for our present and future.

How does Orozco's vision resonate with you in our current times? Are there other subversive artists who have captured your imagination?

What do you think of the layout, of embedding the story the murals tell in the walking pathway of the library at Dartmouth?