Diego Rivera’s Heroic Vision of America

In his mural style, forged in the Mexican Revolution, and in his easel paintings, Rivera created a unique vision of America: a synthesis between the indigenous cultures of the south and the industrial modernity of the North. Rivera was a prodigious talent whose commitment to the power of art as a political act resonates today. As he said, he didn’t believe in God, but he did believe in Picasso. 

Avril Angevine, an arts lecturer with a particular interest in modern, contemporary, and California art, has spoken on many subjects at various locations in the Bay Area, including the OLLI programs at Cal State East Bay, Dominican College, San Francisco State, and the Fromm Institute. Avril has a BA in English and an MA in Comparative Literature from UC Berkeley and teaches English and Humanities at local colleges. She is also a museum guide at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, and a docent at the Oakland Museum of California.