Thursday, June 16, 2011

A Visit with Gustavo Lira

Last Friday I visited the studio of Gustavo Lira.  In a mix of Spanish and English, we began discussing the symbolism behind the Mosaic of the Americas.  One element that stuck out to me was the monarch butterflies that represent freedom of migration from North to South.

Lira often divides his murals into sections: 1) the problem 2) the solution 3) the dream, or utopia.  In the Mosaic of the Americas, the "dream" section is at the top.  The Human Rights Mural that he did at South High School is also divided into similar sections.  As I reflect on this way of organization, it occurs to me that Diego Rivera also took a similar route in his History of Mexico in the Palacio Nacional.  Rivera's utopia lay in the indigenous past.

Like Rivera, Lira is also fascinated by Pre-Columbian artwork, but he is most interested in instruments.  I got to see his collection of Pre-Columbian style flutes/silbadoras and listen to him play a few notes.

Gustavo also showed me a special tool that he made by taping a piece of chalk onto the end of a stick of bamboo.  This allows for tracing of a projected sketch onto the wall.  On the other end of the tool is a small pad of cotton-stuffed leather about the size of an apricot.  Lira showed me how he touched the pad to the wall and used the stick to brace his hand as he painted details, thereby avoiding smudging his previous work.

I was very excited to find out that Lira has lead a youth workshop based on the Brigada Ramona Parra, the muralist brigade that served as a huge inspiration for my thesis project.  This group protested the dictatorship of Pinochet.  Their work was characterized by bold, flat colors and black outlining, which had to be done quickly to avoid getting caught by the carabineros (police).  Lira lent me a copy of his lesson plan so I could see how he organized the workshop.

I was so inspired by my talk with Gustavo Lira.  He is a very amiable person with years of experience teaching art and making collaborative murals with youth and other artists.  Talking with Lira gave me some ideas of how I might possibly organize the Cold Spring mural and new perspective on working as a collaborative artist.  He mentioned the possibility of the two of us working together on something ourselves, which would be very exciting!

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