Margarita Reyes: A Pioneering Artist in Mexico City

Margarita Reyes was a pioneering artist who made significant contributions to the development of Mexican art and culture. Born and raised in Mexico City, Reyes was deeply influenced by the city's vibrant artistic and political scene. Her work often reflected her commitment to social justice and her support for marginalized groups.

One of Reyes' most notable works is her easel painting, 'Mujer de la guerra' (Woman of War), created in 1937. This piece responded to the Spanish Civil War and Reyes' solidarity with the Republicans. The painting features a woman at its center, highlighting her agency and strength rather than passivity.

Reyes was also known for connecting religious extremism with fascism, as depicted in another panel featuring arms and legs forming a swastika. Her work held the Catholic Church accountable for supporting these actions, showcasing one of the attackers wearing a scapular associated with devotion to the Virgin Mary while violently beating a woman.

During this period, rural schoolteachers, many of them women, were frequently attacked by zealous supporters of Catholic-controlled education in Mexico. Reyes' work responded to the recent massacre of sixteen teachers in the village of San Felipe Torres Mocha in the state of Guanajuato.

Reyes was commissioned by the government to create murals for schools, promoting a new form of 'socialist education' in the country. Her best-known mural, 'Atentado a las Maestras Rurales' (Attack on rural teachers), created for the lobby of the Centro Escolar Revolución in Mexico City, is a testament to her commitment to social justice.

In 1937, Reyes was a founding member of the avant-garde collective Liga de Escritores y Artistas Revolucionarios (LEAR), dedicated to promoting the ideals of the Mexican Revolution and struggles of the working class through art. She was also a pioneer in receiving an official mural commission from the Mexican government, making her one of the first women to achieve this distinction.

Throughout her life, Reyes fearlessly defended her politics and continued to advocate for the rights of women, the working class, and the poor in post-revolutionary Mexico. Her dedication to teaching and organizing for teacher unions spanned four decades, leaving a lasting impact on Mexican art and culture.

Margarita reyes mexico city