Siqueiros Mural That Caused Scandal To Be Restored
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LOS ANGELES — A 1930s mural by artist David Alfaro Siqueiros that caused such a scandal that it was painted over after its completion will be restored with the help of at least $7.7 million from the Getty Foundation and the city.
The Getty Foundation will commit $3.95 million, and the city will provide $3.75 million to restoring the “La America Tropical” mural within two years and to building a protective shelter and viewing platform.
“The people of the city of Los Angeles will finally be able to view this cultural treasure long obscured from sight,” Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said. “The mural, while controversial in its time, will allow adults and children of all ages to learn about and appreciate the diverse history of this city, the importance of freedom of artistic expression, and the origins of the muralist movement in this city.”
Finished in 1932, the 80-foot-by-18-foot mural was displayed on downtown’s Olvera Street, the site where the city of Los Angeles was founded.
It depicts an Indian being crucified on a double cross topped by an American eagle. A Mayan pyramid overrun by vegetation can be seen in the background.
The work, completed after Siqueiros’s expulsion from Mexico for his political beliefs, was designed to portray the struggle against imperialism.
