Days 59-63: Class, Tummy Woes, and Art and the Mexican Revolution

graphic print by Luis Arenal

Day 59: More Homework!

How exciting! I did more homework this Sunday! We have been studying the Mexican Revolution, which lasted from about 1910 to 1920. The Revolution began, at least in part, due to the people’s unhappiness with the rule of Porfirio Diaz. He ruled Mexico from 1876-1911, serving as both the president and puppet master of various presidents. Many people were upset with the corruption of the country’s election system. Diaz also went against his own slogan, «No Re-election,» when he served a number of sequential terms during this period.

During the Porfiriato, as this period is now known as, Mexico developed a railroad system and other infrastructural developments that opened Mexico up to foreign investments and increased migration from Mexico the the US. On one hand this made it easier for Mexican migrants to access temporary work in the US and send money back to their families. People, goods, and ideas were exchanged between the US and Mexico more easily because of the railroad system. It also provided jobs related to infrastructure in Mexico. On the other hand, the US was a primary foreign investor in the railroads and therefore influenced Mexican political and business leaders. Furthermore, Mexican farmers and peasants were exploited for their work as business leaders and investors were more important to Diaz’s goals than the general population.

Another factor that influenced the Mexican Revolution was the great economic inequality throughout the country. Not only did the wealthy own unreasonably large amounts of land, but the government continued to take land away from indigenous populations and peasants without offering proper compensation or regards to their livelihoods.

Different parties in the Revolution wanted different things. Some, like Zapata, wanted land rights for peasants. Others, like Francisco I. Madero, wanted Diaz to stop being re-elected and to unify the country. (He didn’t exactly put up a strong fight, however, and was ultimately unsuccessful throughout his short president from November 1911 to February 1913.)

At the conclusion of the Revolution, many of its strongest leaders had been killed. Leaders such as Obregon and Cardenas took the country in a more socialist direction. Land reform, education reform, and the separation of church and state were a few of their focuses.

Day 60: Tummy Woes

I did not feel well this day. I was unable to eat for a few days, but after resting all day I felt a lot better.

Well, allow me to clarify: I wasn’t able to eat any substantial food for a few days. Later that night I went to the microbrewery with a few friends and had no trouble eating a brownie sundae. But someone offered me a bite of their dinner and my stomach immediately started turning. After a few days I was fine, thanksfully. It’s kind of funny how the body works, isn’t it?

Day 61: Free Day Street Food

My stomach felt better after just a couple of days. And it was perfect timing because I discovered a food stand outside of ICO shortly afterwards. The woman at the stand sold flautas, chicken sandwiches, and jamica. Flautas are fried tortillas wrapped around pulled chicken or other types of meat or cheese. The chicken sandwich was wrapped around a corn tortilla. Both had cheese, guacamole, salsa, and lettuce. The jamaica was delicious, per usual.

I also went to a market on this day since we didn’t have classes. This market (I don’t know the name of it) took up blocks and blocks in every direction. Vendors sold artisan products, souvenirs from other countries, and random objects produced in bulk in some factory. Of course there was also food! Many vendors sold ice cream or paletas, Mexican popsicle, due to the heat.

That evening I walked around El Centro with a friend. We ate at a pizza place that sells pizza to passersby. They had thin crust slices in various flavors. Although we’d be returning home in less than two weeks, it still felt nice to have a slice of home.

Days 62-63: Art and the Mexican Revolution

In class we continued studying Mexican history. Post-revolutionary Mexican art is a way to understand the opinions and experiences of the Mexican people during the time period. The period’s art can be divided into a few categories, all of which are still widely used today: photography, print making, paintings, murals, architecture, music, dance, film, and fashion. Print making and murals are some of the most well-known forms of Mexican art. Mexican print makers Leopoldo Mendez, Luis Arenal, and Alfredo Zalce founded the Taller Grafica Popular, or TGP. TGP is a print collective dedicated to furthering the goals of the revolution through art. Revolutionary goals such as respect for indigenous populations, land rights, and agrarian reform are all common subjects in these artists’ work. Mexican muralists Diego Rivera, Jose Clemente Orozco, and David Alfaro Sisquieros all have work featured in Mexico City, which I saw up close and person just a few weeks ago.

Some of the stenciling techniques used by members of TGP are still used to day by members of the art colectivo ASARO. More info on this to come soon…

Days 57 and 58: Study Party and Birthday Party

Day 57: Study Party

Please, do not be fooled-I am still a full-time student, taking classes, writing papers, doing homework, and all that good stuff. So I spent this Friday in a cafe writing about Emiliano Zapata’s impact on the Mexican Revolution. Zapata was known as a «revolutionary» and «southern rebel» because he fought for the rights of peasant land owners. In 1911, he spoke in Nahuatl to the people of Morelos, asking them to support his ides and counter the new Mexican government. The Zapatistas were less concerned with overthrowing the Mexican government and more concerned with land rights. Although they represented a minority opposition group during the revolution, Zapata and his followers won enough battles in the south to distract the Mexican government from their efforts in the north. Zapata was assassinated in 1919 and is remembered as a symbol of «land for the humble.» Policies aimed at agrarian reform have been inspired by him. He also inspires activists today that advocate for indigenous people’s rights and the end of Mexico’s corrupt federal government.

Today, Zapatista Army of National Liberation is a leftist group based in Chiapas, a state in southern Mexico. The group declared war against Mexico in 1994. It views the state as an enforcer of systemic discrimination and violence. After NAFTA was enacted, Zapatistas expressed their disgust with how capitalism and globalization disadvantage indigenous populations and exploit the poor. It is also well known for its beliefs in anarchy, women’s rights, and pride in indigenous heritage. Later in the quarter I will visit Espacio Zapata, an art collective that contributes to the Zapatista movement through various art forms.

That night, a friend and I ate dinner at La Gran Torta before heading to La Santisima, the microbrewery. At the microbrewery I ran into about half of the people in my program and also saw my Spanish professor on a date. Oaxaca is a pretty small city. After leaving the microbrewery a few of us walked around the Zocalo and listened to a group of teens playing instruments and singing a variety of English pop songs.

Day 58: Birthday Party

During the day I did a bunch of homework. Professor Lucy is an advocate of the work hard, play hard lifestyle. We are assigned a bunch of reading and then decompress from all of that studying in the evenings.

My friend’s birthday was today! We celebrated with her and her friends at a bar before heading to Txalaparta. At Txalaparta I ran into just about every friend I had ever made in Oaxaca! It was a great, fun night. Good dancing, good drinks, good conversation, and lots of laughing.

Days 46-52: Mexico City! part 5/6

Day 50: The Illustrious Frida Kahlo’s House

Friday, February 20, 2015

Per usual we left for our first site at 9a.m. We spent a bit of time at Templo Mayor and its museum. Templo Mayor was a major capital in Tenochtitlan, the capital city for the Aztecs. The temple is said to be at the exact spot where Huitzilopochtli, a god of the Mexica people, placed an eagle on a nopal cactus with a snake in its mouth. This sign was how the Mexica people were to know that they had reached their promised land. Inside the museum were artifacts that had been excavated, including spear heads, jewelry, pots, pans, and other items.

We finally headed to one of the most anticipated sites of the entire study abroad quarter: Frida Kahlo’s house. Her house is located in Coyoacan. She was born in this home, lived in it, and died in it. For a few years she lived there with her husband, Diego Rivera. It is known as The Frida Kahlo Museum, or sometimes La Casa Azul, or The Blue House, for its blue facade.

the one and only Frida Kahlo’s House

The museum has a collection of work from Kahlo, her personal belongings and art that she and Rivera collected, as well as some of Rivera’s work and various pieces that have been created in her honor. There are various rooms in the house and each one has a different theme, including: some of her less popular works, her fashion, clothes inspired by her fashion, items that she used everyday, her home decor, modern art that was inspired by Kahlo, pre-Hispanic artifacts and other items that Kahlo valued, her kitchen, and her dining room. Outside is a courtyard with various structures and a screen for viewing documentaries about her life.

some of Frida Kahlo’s wardrobe on display

Frida Kahlo is very well known for her self portraits, and just about every room had one. In these portraits, and in her other works, are symbols and images that allude to some of her values. Fertility, Communism, indigenous Mexican cultures, and her health are all common themes in her paintings, dolls, home decor and even fashion.

Kahlo and Rivera hosted many people in their home, such as Leon Trotsky and other Communist thinkers, and photos from their visits are on display in the museum. Although Kahlo and Rivera shared many of the same political views, married twice, and constantly inspired and supported one another artistically, their marriage was not great. They both practiced infidelity and he was often mean and controlling. Yet they had a deeply intimate relationship and memoirs from their time together is also throughout the museum.

Her crutches and corsets, head bands, scarves, skirts, shoes and other clothing are also especially notable items on display. Having contracted polio at age six and been severely injured in a bus accident at age 18, Kahlo was left with uneven legs, the inability to give birth to children, and a lifetime of intense pain. She had to wear a brace and extra inches on one of shoes for most of her life. Kahlo used her incredible artistic ability to show her character and express herself the way she wanted to be presented, regardless of her physical condition. This is especially evident in her fashion as she used her own self as a canvas. Some of her most iconic style pieces include long skirts and scarves, corsets, floral head bands, and braided hair. Each of these items served a purpose. They highlighted some of the features she saw most prominently in herself-such as her face-and concealed her different sized shoes. The clothing had strong influences from the Tehuana culture, which she associated with her mother. A large collection of her clothing and personal belongings were released 50 years after her death, per the wishes of Rivera, and I had the opportunity to see many of the items up close and in person.

Today Kahlo is celebrated as a feminist, activist, and artist. Her biography, artistry, relationships, and political beliefs have all been heavily researched and documented. She continues to inspire people to this day and her influence is seen across a great number of artistic mediums.

“Feet, what do I need you for when I have wings to fly?” -Frida Kahlo

Friday was our last day in the city with the university. Some students headed back to Oaxaca after this evening, but I decided to stay in a hostel and explore weekends in DF. The hostel experience was an…aventura.

But before we returned to the city, we explored Coyoacan a bit more. We ate at an ice cream parlor that was absolutely superb. Every flavor had real chunks of the pastry mixed in. I had a double scoop-cheesecake and oreo with a whole Oreo to top it off. It was so delicious.

We took the metro back to the hotel. (Trying to get a not so touristy-experience by using the public transit as opposed to a taxi. Also, 5 peso transportation beats 100 peso transportation every time.) We packed up our bags and headed to the hostel.

This was my first hostel experience. There were a number of travelers from all over the world and from all ages, although most people were in their 20’s. The building had pop culture decor, with brightly colored walls and furniture and a different theme for each of the four floors. We stayed on the Teotihuacan floor (as evidenced by the giant picture of the Pyramid of the Sun and a sign, though not much else.) Our rooms looked like an Ikea college dorm spread and were very comfortable. However the bathrooms were old and communal and that freaked me out a bit (by a bit I mean a lot and by a lot I mean I am cringing as I think about it) but we only stayed two nights, so it all worked out fine.

That night we went to a club that had a reputation for being really cool and exciting. A massive dance floors, crowds of fun people, tight security, and neon lights. We were pumped! And we got there and saw that the dance floor truly was massive-and it had two floors! In fact, the dance floor was so massive that large groups of people were able to create six large circles for people to dance in in the spotlight. The lights were awesome, too. They were neon and our white pants glowed in the dark.

The music was okay. It was 70’s night so they played songs from the that era that topped various charts around the world. And the people dancing in the circles were having dance battles. The battles were actually regulated, as only two people were allowed in each circle at a time. The dancers were really getting their groove on! You could tell people were in their element, and perhaps that was because the club was filled with 50 and 60 year olds! Now that was quite the surprise. Our first Friday night in Mexico City and we couldn’t dance in the club because we would be interrupting a disco dance party from the good ol’ days. That was such a silly night, but it made for a great story and it was fun to experience something new-in Mexico City nonetheless!

After that adventure we took taxis back the the hotel. The taxis in DF are so expensive compared to the 40 or 50 peso taxis in Oaxaca. The meter started at something like 50 pesos and almost ran past 200 pesos just to go a couple of blocks! We ended up walking a bit and got back to the hostel in time to rest up for Saturday in Mexico City!

Days 46-52: Mexico City! part 2/6

Day 47 Part 2

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

In the classroom we learn about art, but I have also been blessed to able to see some of the greatest, most iconic art in the world in person. Not only am I seeing these works in person, but I am also experiencing them in the context of where they were created.

After Tlatelolco we visited Palacio de Bellas Arts, or the Palace of Fine Arts. The building is famous for its Rivera, Tamayo, and Siqueiros murals. It is also the home of Ballet Folklorico, which I saw during my time in DF and will recount here in a later post!

one of the murals

There is extensive literature written about the palace, including an impressively thorough Wikipedia page, however I will primarily focus on the murals. The artists challenged ideas such as capitalism and democracy, Mexican identity and national pride. In the 1920s, following the Mexican Revolution, Mexican murals were funded and supported by the Mexican government. They carried social and political messages. Three artists were particularly important for the mural movement: The Big Three. Diego Rivera, Jose Clemente Orozco, and David Siqueiros are known as ‘Los Tres Grandes.’ Some of their most famous works are featured in Bellas Artes.

Generally, the government supported free artistic expression and opening art to the public. Murals were painted on public buildings. However over time, the artists began adopting Marxist ideas and stressed the importance of indigenous heritage. Often times these ideas challenged the image of social order, capitalism, industrialization, and national pride that the government supported, and the muralists’ work became privatized, appearing more on the walls of private businesses than on government buildings.

The art itself can be characterized by its use of many colors and large, exaggerated depictions of people and symbols. Political messages never left the murals, and neither did cultural symbols.

After Bellas Artes, we went to the post office. The building could also function as a palace or museum. Its staircases and walls are covered in gold, and the main floor has relics from Mexico’s postal history.

inside the post office

For lunch our group went to Salon Corona. It was a pretty generic restaurant-people ordered tacos, memelitas, etc. I took advantage of the time between lunch and dinner to nap. Mexico City is about 573 square miles and holds a population of about 9 million people. We had been walking all over the city and many of us were exhausted! It felt great to lay down for a bit before heading to Hosteria Santo Domingo, a restaurant in the city that used Mexican paintings as decorations. I appreciate that large cities such as DF, Chicago, and Detroit incorporate their own history and art into so many public spaces. It really is beautiful and fascinating.

Our last adventure of the night was to taste pulque, a sticky alcoholic beverage made from fermented sap from the maguey plant. It was so gross in my opinion, but I’m sure someone likes it! I went to sleep shortly after to prepare for the next day’s adventures. Our first full day in Mexico City was busy, and that was just a preview of the rest of the week! Stay tuned for more…