William Hernandez | Mural at the Portland Art Museum with IDEAL PDX

With fellow IDEAL PDX artists, William Hernandez creates a mural reflecting on the legacy of Mexican Modernism for the Portland Art Museum’s exhibition Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, and Mexican Modernism.

I see art as a way to create connections with others, and this is especially true of this commission to paint a six-panel mural in the Schnitzer Sculpture Court at the Portland Art Museum in honor of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera. The theme I wanted to focus on is Globality. While they are important icons in Mexican history, they are also well-known globally and are influential in the greater scope of global history and culture. They bring their amazing lives, traditions, and art to our region, the Pacific Northwest. Our entire community can appreciate and share in their splendor and universal messages.  

William Hernandez

From the Portland Art Museum: Although the exhibition, Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, and Mexican Modernism highlights a specific moment in history, many of the artists working in partnership with this show offer dynamic reflections on the current presence of Mexican Modernism’s legacy, resisting static and linear interpretations. IDEAL PDX, a collaborative group of Latino artists established in 2010, is in partnership with the Museum on a mural in the Schnitzer Sculpture Court from April 8th through May 29th.  This collective, comprised of artists Daniel Santollo, William Hernandez, Jessica Lagunas, José Solis, and Romina Del Castillo, is working on a multi-panel mural called Frida and Diego Are Here, which depicts the arrival of Frida and Diego from the Mictlan, the Mexican infraworld, as they visit the Pacific Northwest. Both the title and vision behind the work emphasize the presence of Frida and Diego as figures that are in motion, extending their influence in the present day.  Read the full article here.