Pan American Essay

The first time that I viewed the Pan-American mural by Diego Rivera was during our class orientation. I was amazed by the size of the painting and also by the amazing detail and colors that he was able to depict. Rivera used many metaphors and symbolisms of different leaders and events that took place during the Mexican Revolution. I believe that his overall purpose was to show his viewers in future what they went through as a culture. He is showing a timeline of the events that took place in different parts of Bay Area, which is good because it helps us become more in touch with the painting. I will start by analyzing the left side of the painting and will continue going down the line from there.

On the top left section of panel 1, I see what appears to be Mexican immigrant workers who are building sculptures, some are painting and others look like they are praying IMMIGRANTS? ISN’T THIS A VISION OF PRE-COLOMBIAN MEXICO?. I think that this represents the way that the rich people forced the Mexicans to work for little or no pay only because they were undocumented and so it is easy to take advantage of them I THINK YOU MISINTERPRETED THIS PANEL. On the left bottom corner I see a man in a cloak with an eagle next to him NEZAHUALCOATL, AN AZTEC INVENTOR AND POET. I also see men and women who look as though they are cooking fool in a small dark room SEMLTING GOLD?. I think that those images represent the poverty that they had to endure but were still able to find ways to survive together as a family. Overall I believe that his message in this panel was to show their past, the struggles and poverty that they had to go through in which made them the strong people that we see today.

Next to that on the top section of the 2nd panel, I see clouds, nature and a large woman flying across the scenery wearing a swim divers