THIS WEEK ON LATINOPIA: AMERICA TROPICAL REVISITED, RICARDO ROMO ON BORDER THEMES AT CHICANO PARK MUSEUM AND MARK GUERRERO’S EAST L.A. MUSIC STORIES WITH ERNIE HERNANDEZ.
This month marks the 91st anniversary of the unveiling of the América Tropical mural painted by Mexican muralist David Alfaro Siqueiros at Olvera Street in downtown Los Angeles in 1932. The master muralist painted a stunning image of an Indian crucified on a double cross over which sat the eagle from the US currency. Because of its controversial theme, the mural was whitewashed shortly after it was completed and remained covered until 1969 when filmmaker Jesús Treviño and art historian Dr. Shifra Goldman made a documentary which revitalized interest in the mural. In 2012 the Getty art museum invested ten million dollars for a restoration of the mural. Latinopia posts two videos about the mural. The first is an excerpt from Treviño’s 1971 documentary América Tropical and the second is an interview with Getty museum curators Leslie Rainer and Susan MacDonald in 2012 when the damaged mural was restored for public viewing. Last week KCET also broadcast a new documentary on the mural titled América Tropical: The Martyr Mural of Siqueiros.
Also this week, Ricardo Romo returns with his weekly Tejano Report. This week he returns to the new Chicano Park Museum in San Diego and highlights the border themes undertaken by the artists in this sweeping exhibition, including the work of acclaimed cartoonist Lalo Alcaráz. Do check it out!
And lastly, Mark Guerrero returns with his East Los Angeles Music Stories. Mark has been doing an amazing job of chronicling a wide variety of Chicano musicians, singers and performers from the sixties and seventies. This week he interviews drummer Ernie Hernandez who worked with Mark as a key drummer in several bands. Take a listen.
Enjoy your week on Latinopia!
Tia Tenopia