Overview
The purpose of this unit of study, The Influence of Mexican Muralist on the WPA Art Projects, is to use art to help students to understand the political, social, cultural, and economic changes that occurred after World War 1 and how art is used to influence opinions. The period of the 1930's, labeled the Great Depression, was one of the most difficult economic times in United States history. Massive unemployment, farm and home foreclosures, business closings and bank failures were addressed with limited actions and little success by President Hoover, who responded with true laissez faire policy (hands off). Added to the economic woes of the United States, the threat posed by the newly emerging Union of Soviet Socialist Republics raised the specter of class warfare between communists and the floundering capitalist economies of the west.
Advised by some of his closest associates, in 1933 the newly inaugurated President of the United States, Franklin Roosevelt, initiated a series of comprehensive social welfare programs that attempted to stem the tide of the rapidly failing economy by creating jobs. This was a brilliant ploy which shortened the relief rolls and rekindled the American hope of a better tomorrow. At the insistence of President Roosevelt and his inner circle, the United States Congress created the Works Project Administration and followed the model of other governments, including Mexico, in subsidizing art projects. The intention of this project is to examine the mural projects of both the Mexican and American artists found in the United States and particularly in the State of Florida and use the information to closely examine the purposes of art and detect efforts by the government or artists to influence the public.
The critical question is whether Mexican muralists influenced their American counterparts. The Mexican style of fresco was studied and imitated by many Americans muralists. David Siquerios presented workshops for artists in News York. Diego Rivera received private American commissions in spite of his anti-capitalists images and obvious distain for the American system. The American muralists did not have the freedom to choose their subject matter. Therefore, the WPA art did not become the focal point for social unrest as it did in Mexico. In spite of the close controls placed on the WPA workers, it was ultimately the communist accusations against the artists which caused the initial loss of funding in the early 1940's.
The limitless possibilities for this unit of study include American History, World History, American Government, Psychology, Economics, and 2-D Art. In American History we are primarily using Florida WPA pieces and works of Mexican artists in the United States. World History classes could cover the more controversial and political pieces by Diego Rivera Mexico. Latin American Studies or world history could use this opportunity to show more positive aspects of Mexican culture which has been obscured by immigration issues. Government and Economics classes discuss forming the federal budget and the need to make tradeoffs between guns and butter. The social welfare vestiges of New Deal Programs such as Social Security and farm subsidy payments open the door to the discussions on the proper role of the government and the controversies surrounding government funding for the National Endowment for the Arts. The possibilities of the 2-D Art class are endless in creating murals for school programs such as Students against Drunk Driving and Prom Promise.
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