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Mexican Muralists that influenced America now in The Whitney Museum of American Art
The Whitney Museum of American Art is virtually presenting the exhibit “Vida Americana: Mexican Muralists Remake American Art” exclusively through their website as the museum is closed off to the public due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The exhibit was originally supposed to be open from February 17 to May 17. It is composed of around 200 pieces divided by Mexican artists and American artists who were influenced by them.
The Whitney “was the first museum dedicated to the work of living American artists” according to their official website which is why this is such an important moment for Mexican artists in the United States. However, the museum is no stranger to controversy, in the past, there have been irresponsible depictions of minority groups such as in the 2016 Biennial when Dana Schutz’ painting “Open Casket” was exhibited, it depicted “a medium-sized canvas depicting [Emmett] Till’s face and chest, as he lies in his coffin” according to Art Net News. Emmett Till was a 14-year-old black boy who was lynched in Mississippi in 1955, Schutz was critiqued as it is thought that she was exploiting the trauma of African Americans for profit as a white woman, and so was the museum for seeking out the painting to hang on the exhibit.
Read the full article here.