María Izquierdo
After taking a short break, we are returning with our first fine artist Woman of the Week: María Izquierdo.
One of the most outstanding figures of 20th century Latin American art, María was the first Mexican woman to have her work exhibited in the US. Born in Jalisco, María was raised by her grandparents in a rural environment of folklore deeply rooted in the Mexican Métis tradition. At age 14, she was forced by her family to marry a soldier and moved with him to Mexico City. Exposed to a rich cultural milieu, she decided to leave her husband and enroll herself in the National Academy of Fine Arts in 1928. While previously drawing on European examples, the Academy had now shifted towards the purpose of uplifting Mexican values and heritage through art.
This originally resonated with María, but after a year she became frustrated with the rigidity of a movement which prioritised nationalism over creative freedom. Maria began to associate herself with a circle of artists called the “Contemporáneos", who sought to create art that would celebrate Mexico's traditions while also moving towards a universal avant-garde idea of “art for art’s sake”: arte puro. They looked to connect Mexican literature and cultural identity with art as a celebration of mestizo heritage not just a tool for “Mexicanidad”. Although she left the academy, she maintained a close relationship with Rufino Tamayo, who introduced her to watercolour. She began to paint in thick, small brushstrokes that formed her sculptural and surrealist style. Her palette was dominated by earth, red, and neutral tones to represent the Mexican identity.
Despite achieving international acclaim, her artistic life suffered in 1940 after she had a stroke. That same year, she lost a commission to paint a cycle of murals in the District Federal Department, after the Muralists led by Diego Riviera (a former supporter) argued that she did not have enough talent and experience to complete the project. She rebutted the group with her famous quote: “It is a crime to be born a woman and have talent". Although pushed into obscurity, Maria is remembered for paving the way for all Mexican female artists today.
Sources
https://www.theartstory.org/artist/izquierdo-maria/
https://awarewomenartists.com/en/artiste/maria-izquierdo/
https://www.artnexus.com/en/magazines/article-magazine-artnexus/5efbab91e566a87dd8a8ea0e/27/maria-izquierdo
https://artsandculture.google.com/entity/mar%C3%ADa-izquierdo/m025z7hy?hl=en
https://magazine.artland.com/lost-and-found-artist-series-maria-izquierdo/