Paper

1995.12

Edward Stowe Akeley

Courtesy of Edward Stowe Akeley

1941

19-1/4 in

25-1/4 in

INTRO: Community Selections (2013)

Cultural/Historical Context

"Of Tlaxcalan Indian descent, Meza left school at fourteen to become an apprentice in his father’s tailor shop. He attended Worker’s Night School in lxtapalapa until 1937, when his teacher took him to Morelia as his assistant. In Mexico City by 1938, Meza was “discovered” by Diego Rivera who brought him to the attention of Galeria de Arte Moderno. They gave him his first solo exhibition. His “expressionist-surrealist” paintings, on themes often drawn from Indian mythology have associated him with such artists as Frida Kahlo and Agustin Lazo. Guillermo Meza, descendiente de los indios tlaxcaltecas, abandonó la escuela a los catorce años y trabajé como aprendiz en el taller de sastrería de su padre. Asistió a la Escuela Nocturna para Trabajadores en lxtapalapa hasta 1937, cuando su maestro lo llevó consigo a Morelia como asistente. En la ciudad de México fue “descubierto” por Diego Rivera en 1937, quien lo recomendó a la Galería de Arte Moderno y allí le dieron la oportunidad de hacer su primera exposición individual. Sus pinturas “expresionistas-surrealistas”, sobre temas a menudo extraídos de la mitologia indigena, lo han asociado con artistas tales como Frida Kahlo y Agustin Lazo. ----- ----- Guillermo Meza, son of a humble Mexican tailor, displayed an early interest the arts. When not apprenticing in his father’s shop, Meza studied music, drawing, and engraving at the Escuela Nocturna de Arte para Trabajadores No 1 (Art Night School for Workers No. 1). His principal instructor, the painter Santos Balmori, recognized Meza’s talents and brought him to Mexico City (1937) as a painting assistant. His income there and at other odd jobs allowed Meza to continue his own studies at the Escuela España México (Spainish-Mexico School). In 1940 Meza presented his works to the well-established muralist Diego Rivera. By way of an enthusiastic letter, Rivera introduced Meza to Inés Amor, the director of the Galeria de Arte Mexicano (Mexican Art Gallery). Amor arranged for Meza’s first one-person show (1940). The young artist soon found himself regularly exhibiting throughout the U.S., Mexico, and Europe. Purdue has exquisite Meza pastel drawings – dense through layers of whites, greens, reds, and yellows. Meza has an affinity with artists like Frida Kahlo and Agustín Lazo – their works formally akin to Expressionism or Surrealism but with an overriding interest in personal history and cultural heritage. Meza’s works denounce the economic and cultural abandonment of Indians. His subjects suffer, taking refuge in their myths and magic. The figures are often contemplative and complex – at once mystical, fantastic, terrible, playful, and sensual. Meza’s international renown served to widely disseminate his cultural critique. In 1953 he won first prize in the Salón de la Plástica Mexicana national painting competition. He has works in Mexican collections including the Palacio Nacional de Bellas Artes and Museo de Arte Moderno and in American collections at the MOMA, NY, Art Institute of Chicago, San Francisco Museum of Art, and internationally at the MOMA in San Juan, Puerto Rico. "

Cultural/Historical Context

"Guillermo Meza Alvarez was the son an Indian tailor from Tlaxcala. Artist Diego Rivera arranged for his first one man show in 1940. Meza’s work variably served as a criticism of society, an intellectual revolt against convention, and an affirmation of imaginative freedom. He worked with dance academies and performers on a number of occasions. The powerfully built yet gracefully contorted figure dreams of movements that seem to play out behind her. The artist takes liberties with her anatomy to facilitate a suggestion of unconscious movement. "