Friday, March 19, 2010

Man At the Crossroads



Man at the Crossroads was a mural painted by Diego Rivera at Rockefeller Center in New York City in 1933. Commissioned by the Rockefellers, the mural's subject matter was to include scientific, technological, political and social possibilities of the future. Rivera, sympathetic to the Russian cause at this period in history, painted the mural depicting Lenin leading a group of workers marching in a demonstration. The depict upset Nelson Rockefeller, who asked Rivera to repaint over Lenin's face an anonymous worker. Rivera refused, and one of his assistants took secret photographs before the finished mural was destroyed.

The work is significant not only because of the Russian/Mexican connection between the Communist party and Rivera, but also because this mural served as subject matter for another mural, painted in 1934 in Mexico City. This mural featured Lenin and Leon Trotsky. Rivera also painted another mural in New York City, "Portrait of America".

1 comment:

  1. good- what about other themes in the mural and how they intersect with Rivera's worldview and motifs?

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