Getting and giving back
The church in Ocotlan de Morelos, near Oaxaca, that artist Rodolfo Morales had restored as a gift to his community. Photography by Diana Ricci
Much of Mexico is poverty-stricken, but only in economic terms. There is a richness of spirit here. Whether in the oral tradition of the isolated indigenous villages or the copious written and visual repositories of the cities, there is a sense of historical and cultural continuity reaching back to before most Europeans crawled out of their cave dwellings.
Every year, in May, Arte de Oaxaca, an art gallery, hosts an exhibition which by all accounts could never ever happen in the U.S.A. This event provides a unique insight into Mexican culture.
On display are the works of some of Oaxaca's many artistic luminaries, most as yet "undiscovered" in the world market. None are for sale. They belong to the government. When the show ends, they will be hung in various government buildings for the pleasure of the workers and citizens who have occasion to be therein. The government acquired these works of art as payment for taxes due, from artists who were cash poor but product rich.
In this manner, in times gone by, the government acquired -- always at a fair market price at the time of acquisition -- the works of now-famous painters and sculptors such as Francisco Toledo, Rodolfo Morales, and Rufino Tamayo. The artists in turn got relief from a tax debt, and the opportunity to have their work seen by many of their fellow citizens.
This arrangement is just one of the many ways in which the government -- federal, state and local -- invests in the creative energies of the people. Oaxaca, as virtually all state capitals, has a symphony orchestra and a concert band. There are museums of contemporary and folk art, auditoriums, concert halls, research libraries and outdoor performance arenas. Almost every town of any size has a Casa de Cultura (culture house). Performers, composers, artists and artisans work under contract or as freelancers in projects paid for by the government. Hundreds of support staff -- ticket takers, poster makers, custodians, electricians, publicists -- work for the ministries of culture which are charged with Making Art Happen.
As in our country, salaries are not adequate. Musicians employed by the state symphony have to take in students in order to survive. Lithographers who display their works in the Museum do framing to cover the difference. Nonetheless, competition is fierce and - with the usual exception for nepotism or political influence - the rewards, however inadequate, keep some of the best of them working at their art.
As in every country, artists tend to move around in search of work, display space, and stipends. Many of the musicians who play in the Oaxaca orchestra are from Jalisco and Vera Cruz, and some Oaxacans perform in the National Opera in Mexico City. One of the violists is a visiting gringo who sits in during the four months he spends here every winter.
A few Oaxacans have become world-famous. They show in New York, Paris and Tokyo; they have prestigious agents; and they have returned home to share their good fortunes with their vecinos (neighbors). Rodolfo Morales dresses like a reasonably comfortable small town businessman. Barrel chested and middle aged, dressed in a flannel shirt and cloth pants, his mustache and hair worn longish and shaggy, he betrays nothing in his appearance that would suggest his tremendous talent or his financial status.
In his home village of Ocotlan, near Oaxaca city, everyone knows Rodolfo. He is a town hero, not just for his accomplishments but for his modesty, his involvement in the community, and his private and public generosity.
Arte de Oaxaca, mentioned above, does business in a building in the center of Oaxaca that is owned by Rodolfo. He maintains a studio and apartment in back of the courtyard, on the third floor. Under his personal supervision, the building, in need of restoration when he bought it, has provided a model which other wealthy Oaxacans follow: that it is better to restore the past than to tear it down and build "modern" buildings. Rodolfo also owns a building in his native Ocotlan, which he also has restored to its' old colonial charm. The entire ground floor is like an antique museum, filled with wonderful examples of 18th and 19th century furniture. Classes are held there, and community meetings. The home and grounds are open to the public. There is a brass plate outside the front door: Casa de Cultura (house of culture). He donated this one to the state ministry of culture.
There is a very old church in downtown Ocotlan. It had fared poorly since the (largely anti-clerical) Revolution of 1910-1919. Last year, Rodolfo decided that it should be restored. The accompanying picture tells the rest of the story. Next to the church is the old convent, closed by the Revolution. It has seen many uses, the last as a prison.(For a picture, see "The Hidden Places".) When the renovation is done, it will be the municipal Casa de Cultura, housing performance spaces, meeting rooms, and other public functions.
Like Maestro (Master, Teacher) Rodolfo, Tamayo and Toledo and countless others have left a legacy of art, architecture and public space for present and future generations to enjoy. The synergy is not perfect, and some who deserve don't get, and some who have gotten don't give. But what is left is magnificent, and inspiring, and a treat for the senses; and best of all, it is in the best sense of the word civilized: both civil and civic.
If you have comments or suggestions for Stan, you can contact him at:
http://www.realoaxaca.com/email-realoaxaca.html
Contact