Reactions to Folk Culture and Modernity
It seemed that the general theme of this week’s readings was culture as a form of anti-establishment resistance. By first looking at Mexican Muralism and the Official Public Sphere one is introduced to the politicized nature of art—specifically how murals were used in Mexico to “fight the power”. The fact that muralists had to bring guns for protection illustrates the dangerous and controversial aspect of murals. It was a platform that instigated conversations and challenged the politicians and religious leaders, establishing new ways to interpret the actions of these two groups. Art became part of politics and culture and later became symbolic of Mexican culture, consequentially spreading to other parts of the world. This also meant that there was an incentive to continue the creation of murals. Theoretically if the murals were painted to critique the political climate and those in power, then as soon the government and communities are supportive of muralists’ paintings they have...