Rafael Cauduro Painting Technique example essay topic

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 Siqueiros 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 Andr'e 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'oil" (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 Cauduro work, according to critic Ruiz Soto, adds what he termed "critical illusion" which combines an extreme technical proficiency with fantasy-filled concepts ( . rafael. 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 (web). Cauduro paints supernatural scenarios with realism akin to 17th century masters like Dutch artists Rembrandt van Rij in (Painting information Cauduro).

The piece I choose to critic is titled "Busca do por su made" or "Wanted by his Mother" by Rafael Cauduro, no year. This piece is an Oil on Canvas painting that measured 48"x 36" 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 (web / history / j tuck/. 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 Jos'e Clemente Orozco and Diego Rivera (web / history / j tuck/. html). According to Siqueiros biography, he was born in Chihuahua, 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 (web / history / j tuck/. html).

He taught for some time in New York City, inspiring artists such as Jackson Pollock (web / history / j tuck/. html). It was Siqueiros who taught him the technique of "accidental" painting and the use of industrial materials (web / history / j tuck/. html). Siqueiros was by no means someone to take lightly, he was a sergeant in the Mexican Revolution and a colonel in the Spanish Civil War (MoLAA quarterly publication p. 7). He was also the most innovative of the Mexican muralists, by being the first to experiment with new tools and techniques (MoLAA quarterly publication p. 7). The work I chose to critic for Siqueiros is a piece titled "ZAPATA". It is a painting on wood that measures 50 3/4 " x 35 1/2 ".

His painting portrays the political and cultural struggle of the oppressed Mexican people in monumental proportions. His painting is that of revolutionary hero Emiliano Zapata, who during his times fought for the people against the dictatorship of them Mexican President Porfirio D'i az, and the governor of Morelos, Pablo Esc and " on. Siqueiros in my opinion admired General Zapata courage and stance for political and economic emancipation of Mexico's peasantry (Biography Zapata), and continued the fight for Zapata. Siqueiros military background gave him more of a reason to respect Zapata, and was able to better understand how difficult it was for Zapata to have done what he did in his times. It is this reason that I believe that Siqueiros thought to keep the fighting spirit of Zapata alive, and made this painting as big and eye catching as he could.

One of the main reasons that I liked the painting was for the same reason as Siqueiros, to support the fight and struggle of the people over the corrupt government. I also liked the painting because it is a painting that stands out in front of viewers and doesn't ask for attention, but jumps at you and makes people ask who is this and why is he the focal point of this painting. Siqueiros uses bright pyroxylin colors and which allowed him to paint in thick layers, almost sculpting the surface of the canvas similar to Cauduro. Even though Siqueiros's work does not use the layering affect as comparable to Cauduro it adds to the affect that eminently makes the piece that much more appealing in my eyes. The use of color in this piece is the main attractiveness that makes it stand out, in this piece Siqueiros uses intensely bright colors like orange and yellow to have viewers focus on the center of the painting witch is the face and made the other colors darker as to not have again the viewer focus on the center. I had never looked at the painting the way I do now because of the lack of art knowledge that made me understand it much better and appreciate it much more.

I can imagine that this work meant a great deal to Siqueiros stood for his beliefs and outlook on life. Both Siqueiros and Cauduro works are politically motivated, but like people, depict them in their own way. Siqueiros because of his military background and more no nonsense look at life is more straight forward as compared to Cauduro, but have similar objectives. Cauduro a more recent unknown artist is more contemporary in the sense that explorers the mind of viewers and makes them think and come with their own conclusion of his views. I liked both of these artist and enjoyed learning more about them and how similar they were, yet so different in terms of style. Art is a language of its own and with out he proper understanding, people are like expression goes "left on the outside looking in".

In other words, people without the proper understanding of art, technique and form as well as other elements can't appreciate a work of art as much as when you understand why an artist painted in the way they did and what they are trying to get across to his audience. Despite artists attempts to try and make their works as viewer friendly as possible, without the understanding and knowledge gained from an art class as this one people will never fully understand the a work of art as it is meant to be.