Leopoldo Méndez
Mexican, 1902 - 1969El Maíz (Maize) from Mexican People portfolio, ca. 1945
Not on view
Lithograph on paper
Dimensions17 5/8 × 15 1/8 in. (44.8 × 38.4 cm)
Image: 13 7/8 × 11 5/16 in. (35.2 × 28.7 cm)
Gift of Mr. Jack B. Pierson, 1987.31.9
In this print, Leopoldo Méndez depicts villagers harvesting and grinding maize, amongst large coscomates or granaries. During his presidency, to increase agricultural output, Porfirio Díaz repealed land acts and consolidated farmland. As a result, land reform became an important issue of the revolution. Revolutionary Emilano Zapata and his followers, Zapatistas, supporters of land reform proposed that lands be re-distributed to campesinos (peasant farmers). Their motto, Tierra y Libertad (Land and Freedom) still resonates with Mexicans today.
Méndez began his artistic career in 1914 and became politically active in leftist groups as early as 1921. He contributed illustrations to leftist publications, became a member of leftist organizations as well as the Mexican Communist Party. In 1933 Méndez, along with Luis Arenal and Pablo O’Higgins organized the Liga de Escritores y Artistas Revolucionarios (LEAR).
In the spring of 1937, Méndez, Arenal and O’Higgins left (LEAR) and founded the TGP. Mendez remained a member of the TGP until 1961.
