Hollywood's new big-screen star: Diego Rivera

 

The great Mexican muralist Diego Rivera was a movie lover who in the course of his life befriended such cinematic luminaries as Edward G. Robinson and Soviet director Sergei Eisenstein. So it was fitting on Sunday night when the images of several of Rivera's monumental murals were illuminated and projected onto a giant screen (flown in from Ohio) at the John Anson Ford Amphitheatre, next door to Universal Studios.

The spectacle was emceed by Gregorio Luke, former director of the Museum of Latin American Art in Long Beach, and full-time promoter of making fine art more accessible to mass audiences. In his previous job, Luke hosted an annual "Murals Under the Stars" event in the museum's parking lot. Now he's hoping to draw new, larger crowds to works by some of Mexico's 20th-century masters. Upcoming lecture/performance shows by Luke this summer at the L.A. County-run venue, across the 101 Freeway from the Hollywood Bowl, will spotlight Rufino Tamayo and Miguel Covarrubias.

Read our report here about Luke's efforts to give Mexican art the same monumental platform as "Land of the Lost" or "Star Trek."

-- Reed Johnson

Caption: Gregorio Luke presents a slide show on Diego Rivera in Hollywood Sunday. Credit: Axel Koester / For The Times

Comments

[Donald Frazell]

This is exactly what is needed, but you folks never publicized it, how many went? Things like this, making art relevant to humanity again, is sorely needed. But then, you folks cant even spell the name of perhaps the greatest painter of the America's name correctly, it is Rufino TAMAYO.

And demonstrates how far away from art the art scene has gone, it is now about partying and lifestyle, not passion and elevating OUR lives. We need artists who will do this, the late Robert Graham was one, Carlos Almaraz, Richard Diebenkorn, not many others here in LA. Hockney was excellent after he ditched his terrible early style, and learned Matissean color.

Time to start creating art, not absurdities like Bruce Nauman and silly conceptual anti-art garbage. Art is needed, it has Purpose, It is time to get back to it, be responsible, and reflect the lives of humanity, not the vanity of the rich. Time to grow up, time to put aside childish things. And try promoting this event next time LA Times, Sheeesh.

art collegia delenda est