David Siqueiros
Paisaje Montanas
1968
Lithograph
21 1/8’’x 15 ½ ‘’
I chose this artist because I like his style. I also chose him because I think he was very successful in evoking emotion. I don’t in particularly like his color palate or the content in many of his works, but I do like the Paisaja Montanas. I think it is a very interesting in terms of line, color, and movement. For me the image evokes dark feelings but still looks alive. It reminds me of Magdalena Abakanowicz plaster, steel, and wooden figurative sculptures in terms of emotional response. I really like the power of the tone of red he used. I think that he successfully incorporated the green commentary color with it as well. The piece does feel a little flat even though there is so much motion in it. It would be interesting to see the piece with the focal point a little more removed from dead center.
I chose to not look at his bio before I looked at his work. After looking his larger body of work I got the feeling that he felt very oppressed and trapped in a violent way. After reading his bio it made complete sense to me since he was jailed and was part of the Mexican Revolution.
http://www.adanigallery.com/Siqueiros/main.html
| “David Alfaro Siqueiros (1896-1974) together with Diego Rivera and Jose Clemente Orozco are considered to be the three masters of the Mexican school of mural painting. Siqueiros, born in Chihuahua, México, was a sergeant in the Mexican Revolution and a colonel in the Spanish Civil War. He was very active in the organizing of México’s labor forces, and his political activism resulted in many deportations and years in jail. It was in jail where he created most of his easel works. He incorporated many new materials and techniques, and was the first artist to use acrylics as a painting media. |
| The distinctive “Siqueiros three-dimensional” perspective is unmistakable. Jackson Pollack was one of his many apprentices.” |
joelisaak 
I really enjoyed your post! I chose “Echo of a Scream” for my Blog #7, another piece by Siqueiros. I agree that learning about his history in political struggle coupled with his time in jail helps to understand his work with more depth, but how would you relate political struggle to this particular piece? I wonder if the mountains of “Paisaje” are a location with relevance to his struggle?
Interestingly enough, this piece does not feel emotionally dark to me personally. I cannot say that this piece relates happiness, or light feelings either. It is as complex as the natural world with a sort of busy use of color. I particularly enjoyed your analysis of form and style. I appreciate your contribution as an artist. I would not have thought of the symmetrical aspect with a centered focus nor would I have picked up on the flatness of the piece had you not pointed it out.
All of the factual requirements have been met including artist, title in italics, date and place of creation. You cited a source, and included an image of the work chosen.
Thank you!
Nice blogg