Murales de Siqueiros y Guerrero, Mexican murals in Escuela México, Chillán, Chile.
The murals in Escuela México are two large-scale wall paintings created by Mexican and Chilean artists in different sections of the building. One features painting on masonite boards using industrial materials, while the other uses traditional fresco technique applied directly to lime plaster walls.
After a devastating earthquake in 1939 destroyed much of Chillán, Mexico sent artists to create these murals as a gesture of international support and solidarity. The artworks emerged from this act of cross-border cooperation between the two nations.
The murals celebrate solidarity between Mexico and Chile through shared indigenous and national symbols visible on the walls. Visitors walking through the school can see how the two countries are portrayed as allied through these powerful images.
The murals are located within Escuela México, with one in the library area and another at the entrance where visitors can see both works. Plan your visit during school hours when access to the building is possible, and approach the artworks respectfully without touching the surfaces.
Siqueiros used unconventional materials like oil, duco, and pyroxylin applied to masonite boards, a striking departure from traditional mural painting of that era. This industrial approach contrasted sharply with Guerrero's classical fresco method used on the opposite wall of the building.
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