How Mexican Muralists Shaped 20th Century American Art

Works by some of Mexico's greatest 20th century muralists will be on display in New York City in "Vida Americana: Mexican Muralists Remake American Art," a new show set to open at the Whitney Museum of American Art next week. The exhibition has been years in the making and features works by Los Tres Grandes — the muralists Diego Rivera, Jose Clemente Orozco, and David Alfaro Siqueiros, who were major figures in 20th century Mexican art and culture following the country's revolution.

History books often cite European modernism as inspiration for American artists of the time, but "Vida Americana" aims to highlight the Mexican muralists' role in shaping the canon. The exhibit juxtaposes Los Tres Grandes with American artists such as Jacob Lawrence, Jackson Pollock, and Isamu Noguchi to create connections between the work being done in Mexico and the United States in the 1920s, 30s, and 40s.