Visitors to the Instituto Cultural Cabañas in downtown Guadalajara can see works by one of Mexico’s most celebrated contemporary artists, Jose Luis Cuevas, who passed away in July at the age of 83.
As a prominent member of the Generación de la Ruptura (Breakaway Generation), Cuevas was one of the first artists to challenge the dominant Mexican muralism movement. His critiques of Mexico’s “big three” muralists (Orozco, Rivera and Siquieros) centered on how these artists’ work was influenced by government propaganda through sponsorship.
Cuevas was a mostly self-taught artist, whose styles and influences are moored to the darker side of life, often depicting distorted figures and the debasement of humanity.
His opposition to the status quo and his aggressive style caused him plenty of trouble, including violent public outcry to his work, written insults, personal threats and once having his house attacked by machine-gun fire. All this earned him the nickname of “il enfant terrible” (“the bad boy”) of Mexican fine arts.
The Cabañas show is culled from the personal collection of Beatriz del Carmen, the artist’s surviving second spouse who runs the José Luis Cuevas Museum in Mexico City.
The exhibit, titled “Por Siempre Cuevas” (Forever Cuevas), includes 54 drawings, eight large-format works, five lithographs and eight bronze sculptures. The show is up through January 7, 2018
The Cabañas Institute is located Cabañas 8, Plaza Tapatía, in Guadalajara’s Centro Histórico. Open Tuesday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Entry: 20-70 pesos, free on Tuesdays. Call (33) 3668-1645.