GUAYASAMIN Artless Power vs. Powerful Art

Although 70 year old Ecuadorian 70 year old Ecuadorian artist Oswaldo GuayasamIn has long artist Oswaldo Guayasamfn has long beenbeen recognized as one of the fore recognized as one of the foremost painters and sculptors of this most painters and sculptors of this century, his fame only penetrated the century, his fame only penetrated the “star spangled curtain” in August of “star spangled curtain” in August of lastlast year. In time for the inauguration year. In time for the inauguration of Ecuador’s social democratic presi of Ecuador’s social democratic president,dent, Rodrigo Borja, Guayasammn Rodrigo Borja, Guayasamin completedcompleted a mural on the front wall of a mural on the front wall of the Plenary Hall of the National Con the Plenary Hall of the National Congress.gress. Like many of GuayasamIn’s Like many of Guayasamin’s works,works, it depicts the cruel history of it depicts the cruel history of imperialismimperialism and of class, ethnic and and of class, ethnic and gendergender oppression. On a small patch oppression. On a small patch of this massive 360of this massive 360 square meter work, square meter work, GuayasamIn painted a soldier’s face in Guayasamin painted a soldier’s face in aa Nazi helmet emblazoned with the Nazi helmet emblazoned with the lettersletters “CIA.” In response, then Sec “CIA.” In response, then Sec Frank Fitzgerald is the author of Frank Fitzgerald is the author of Managing Socialism: From Old Cadres Managing Socialism: From Old Cadres to New Professionalsto New Professionals in Revolutionary in Revolutionary Cuba.Cuba. Ana Rodriguez teaches at the Ana Rodriguez teaches at the Universidad Central de Ecuador and Universidad Central de Ecuador and isis a member of the Movimiento a member of the Movimiento Popular Democratico. Popular Democrdtico. retary of State George Shultz threat retary of State George Shultz threatened to boycott the inauguration cere ened to boycott the inauguration ceremonies. He eventually attended but, monies. He eventually attended but, shortly thereafter, U.S. Ambassador shortly thereafter, U.S. Ambassador Richard Howill threatened to cut off Richard Howill threatened to cut off all economic aid unless the mural was all economic aid unless the mural was changed. This threat was not retracted changed. This threat was not retracted until late February, after the president until late February, after the president of the Ecuadorian Congress, Wilfredo of the Ecuadorian Congress, Wilfredo Lucero, publicly exposed it and con Lucero, publicly exposed it and condemned what he called “outrageous demned what he called “outrageous and insolent” disregard for Ecuador’s and insolent” disregard for Ecuador’s sovereignty. sovereignty. TheThe following is an excerpt from a following is an excerpt from a three hour interview conducted in the three hour interview conducted in the artist’s home in Ecuador’s capital city artist’s home in Ecuador’s capital city of Quito. of Quito. SinceSince neither you nor your work are neither you nor your work are widely known in the United States, widely known in the United States, perhaps you could first talk a little perhaps you could first talk a little about yourself and your political evo about yourself and your political evolution as an artist. lution as an artist. Well,Well, by the time I was 15 years by the time I was 15 years old,old, I had already been expelled twice I had already been expelled twice fromfrom the Escuela de Bellas Artes [in the Escuela de Bellas Artes [in Quito] for political reasons. I was al Quito] for political reasons. I was already thinking about the social reality ready thinking about the social reality of the world around me, about the In of the world around me, about the In dians, the children sleeping in the dians, the children sleeping in the streets, the poverty. Since my youth, streets, the poverty. Since my youth, my major work has always been dedi my major work has always been dedicated to the humble people. Later I cated to the humble people. Later I traveled for two years throughout this traveled for two years throughout this continent, from village to village, from continent, from village to village, from city to city, from Mexico to Patagonia. city to city, from Mexico to Patagonia. For the next six years I worked on a For the next six years I worked on a large series of paintings that I called large series of paintings that I called “Huacayflan,” a Quichua word that “Huacayfidn,” a Quichua word that means “the road of tears.” After I means “the road of tears.” After I finished that in 1951, I began another finished that in 1951, I began another long series of paintings, “The Age of long series of paintings, “The Age of Wrath.” For this I spent seven years Wrath.” For this I spent seven years traveling to practically all of the con traveling to practically all of the concentration camps of Europe, all of the centration camps of Europe, all of the sites of conflict, cities, and countries sites of conflict, cities, and countries of World War II. I made designs and of World War II. I made designs and drawings in order to paint this mon drawings in order to paint this monstrosity that is our century, because strosity that is our century, because our century is the most monstrous in our century is the most monstrous in humanhuman history. In my childhood, at history. In my childhood, at seven or eight years old, the first things seven or eight years old, the first things that I saw were of World War I, then that I saw were of World War I, then camecame the Spanish Civil War, and then the Spanish Civil War, and then World War II; later, the famines of World War II; later, the famines of AfricaAfrica and everything that has hap and everything that has happenedpened on this continent. on this continent. And now I am painting a third se And now I am painting a third series,ries, about tenderness. This series of about tenderness. This series of paintings Ipaintings I already have some already have some fifty is going to be called “While I fifty is going to be called “While I live,live, I always remember you.” It is I always remember you.” It is dedicateddedicated to my mother who died very to my mother who died very young fromyoung from working so hard. I am the working so hard. I am the oldest of ten children, raised in pov oldest of ten children, raised in poverty,erty, with an Indian surname, some with an Indian surname, somethingthing considered truly “terrible.” I considered truly “terrible.” I want to dedicate this series to all the want to dedicate this series to all the mothersmothers of the world. I want to say to of the world. I want to say to the world: Why don’t we take each the world: Why don’t we take each other’s hands?other’s hands? Why aren’t we united? Why aren’t we united? WhyWhy are there borders, flags, anthems are there borders, flags, anthems that make us enemies? When will we that make us enemies? When will we bebe in harmony? It is my hope to see in harmony? It is my hope to see somethingsomething like this at least on this like this at least on this continent. continent. YouYou often speak in favor of Latin often speak in favor of Latin AmericanAmerican unity. But what kind of unity, unity. But what kind of unity, and for what? and for what? If we can be a coherent America, If we can be a coherent America, on the basis of what we can make with on the basis of what we can make with our hands, on the basis of our culture, our hands, on the basis of our culture, knowledge, creation, with our dance, knowledge, creation, with our dance, our music, our pictures, we can have a our music, our pictures, we can have a world presence at the cultural level and world presence at the cultural level and undoubtedly at the political and eco undoubtedly at the political and economic levels, in order to defend our nomic levels, in order to defend ourselves, to try to escape from this tre selves, to try to escape from this tremendous misery, from a debt that we mendous misery, from a debt that we cannot pay, and that moreover our cannot pay, and that moreover our people have never benefited from. people have never benefited from. Each Latin American owes from Each Latin American owes from S1500 to S2000. Why? I am com S1500 to S2000. Why? I am completely opposed to any formula for pletely opposed to any formula for paying this debt. Latin America has paying this debt. Latin America has already paid two times more than what already paid two times more than what was lent, and we still have not escaped was lent, and we still have not escaped from the debt and the interest that is from the debt and the interest that is ever higher. For these reasons, there ever higher. For these reasons, there should be Latin American unity. should be Latin American unity. Let’s move on to the mural. How did Let’s move on to the mural. How did you come to create it? you come to create it? At the end of 1987, a national con At the end of 1987, a national congressional commission asked me to gressional commission asked me to createcreate a mural for the Legislative Pal a mural for the Legislative Palace. As always, I accepted. I have ace. As always, I accepted. I have painted more than five thousand pic painted more than five thousand pictures in my life and very few are here tures in my life and very few are here inin Ecuador; almost all are in private Ecuador; almost all are in private collections and in museums around the collections and in museums around the world.world. It is, therefore, very important It is, therefore, very important to me to create works in Ecuador. Be to me to create works in Ecuador. Because of this, I generally do not charge cause of this, I generally do not charge for such work. In this case I charged for such work. In this case I charged only for the materials and to pay my only for the materials and to pay my assistants. Also important is that, when assistants. Also important is that, when I sign a contract, I always put as the I sign a contract, I always put as the first condition that what I produce can first condition that what I produce cannot be changed. not be changed. This, of course, is a condition that the This, of course, is a condition that the U.S. government does not want to ac U.S. government does not want to accept, at least with respect to the small cept, at least with respect to the small part of your mural that refers to the part of your mural that refers to the CIA.CIA. But obviously your mural is about But obviously your mural is about muchmuch more than the CIA. Would you more than the CIA. Would you please explain its various aspects? please explain its various aspects? First, it has a symbolic part: two First, it has a symbolic part: two enormous hands, almost eight meters enormous hands, almost eight meters high, trying to touch a pre Colombian high, trying to touch a pre Colombian sun, over which hovers a condor, sun, over which hovers a condor, whichwhich is the symbol of the Andes, of is the symbol of the Andes, of SouthSouth America. This symbolizes the America. This symbolizes the aspirationaspiration of our peoples, of practi of our peoples, of practically all Latin America, to return to cally all Latin America, to return to our own roots. There is an old desire our own roots. There is an old desire to take back our ancient culture, not to to take back our ancient culture, not to repeat it, but as a step toward the fu repeat it, but as a step toward the future, to know where we are going. This ture, to know where we are going. This is more or less the symbolic part of the is more or less the symbolic part of the mural. mural. Second, there is a history in this Second, there is a history in this country that is unknown, that the pow country that is unknown, that the powerful have suppressed throughout the erful have suppressed throughout the 160 years of the Ecuadorian Republic. 160 years of the Ecuadorian Republic. So there are portraits and quotations So there are portraits and quotations fromfrom almost unknown historical fig almost unknown historical figures in the mural. I gave them promi ures in the mural. I gave them prominence because I am telling another his nence because I am telling another history of Ecuador, not the history they tory of Ecuador, not the history they teachteach us as children. There are also us as children. There are also portraitsportraits and quotations from well and quotations from well knownknown figures such as BolIvar and figures such as Bolivar and Alfaro.* Alfaro was an extraordinary Alfaro.* Alfaro was an extraordinary man. He was a liberal, but liberalism man. He was a liberal, but liberalism wasn’t then, aswasn’t then, as it is now, the force of a it is now, the force of a tremendous, terrible bourgeoisie. He tremendous, terrible bourgeoisie. He waswas like a socialist or a Marxist is like a socialist or a Marxist is now. They destroyed this man in the now. They destroyed this man in the streets of Quito. I depicted him light streets of Quito. I depicted him lighting a fire, and his is one of the largest ing a fire, and his is one of the largest portraits in the mural. portraits in the mural. The third part depicts the country The third part depicts the country at the moment I undertook the mural. at the moment I undertook the mural. There are desperate workers and peas There are desperate workers and peasants plowing the dry earth. There are ants plowing the dry earth. There are mestizo children, black children, In mestizo children, black children, In dian children, white children, that is, dian children, white children, that is, *Gen. Eloy Alfaro dominated Ecuador as *Gen. Eloy Alfaro dominated Ecuador as president and caudillo from 1895 1911. president and caudillo from 1895 1911. childrencnllciren irom all me numan groups from all the human groups that make up our nationality. There is that make up our nationality. There is the torture that under the last govern the torture that under the last government was worse than that of the mili ment was worse than that of the military dictatorships we had in this coun tary dictatorships we had in this country before.* There is a frieze called try before.* There is a frieze called “The”The Outcry.” It is a group of heads, Outcry.” It is a group of heads, with closed mouths, mixed with one with closed mouths, mixed with one another. As we move across the frieze, another. As we move across the frieze, little by little their mouths open, until little by little their mouths open, until finally there are three distinct heads finally there are three distinct heads that let out, with a single mouth, an that let out, with a single mouth, an immense scream. immense scream. TheThe fourth part of the mural is made fourth part of the mural is made up of four people who are painted in up of four people who are painted in negative and set in a depression in the negative and set in a depression in the wall. There is the first president of wall. There is the first president of Ecuador who enslaved the Indians. Ecuador who enslaved the Indians. ThereThere is the head of a general without is the head of a general without a face. There is a portrait that mixes a face. There is a portrait that mixes three figures who were civilian dicta three figures who were civilian dictators. There is the CIA, with the mask tors. There is the CIA, with the mask of a person with a Nazi helmet and the of a person with a Nazi helmet and the letters ”CIA.” letters “CIA.” Please say morePlease say more about why you used a about why you used a Nazi helmet with the letters “CIA.” Nazi helmet with the letters “CIA.” Undoubtedly, the Right in the Undoubtedly, the Right in the United States, first with Reagan and United States, first with Reagan and now with the new president, is the ex now with the new president, is the extreme Right. This extreme Right, al treme Right. This extreme Right, albeitbeit with its own forms, is absolutely with its own forms, is absolutely connected to European fascism. There connected to European fascism. There is no doubt about it; historically it is is no doubt about it; historically it is so. Now, within the government of so. Now, within the government of North America, the CIA is the execu North America, the CIA is the executive arm with the revolver in its hands. tive arm with the revolver in its hands. It is the executor of the dirty war. Thus, It is the executor of the dirty war. Thus, {I chose] the Nazi helmet, which is not [I chose] the Nazi helmet, which is not just a Nazi helmet. Another part comes just a Nazi helmet. Another part comes fromfrom an impressive North American an impressive North American film about the war in Vietnam. It is the film about the war in Vietnam. It is the helmet of the new soldier that comes helmet of the new soldier that comes from thefrom the United States. United States. For the past several months, U.S. offi For the past several months, U.S. officials have been pressuring the Ecua cials have been pressuring the Ecua doriandorian government to change your government to change your mural. The U.S. ambassador here even mural. The U.S. ambassador here even threatened to cut off all economic aid. threatened to cut off all economic aid. What’s your reaction? What’s your reaction? It’s truly incredible. The U.S. am It’s truly incredible. The U.S. ambassador wants the president of the bassador wants the president of the *Under*Under the government of LeOn Febres the government of Le6n Febres Cordero, 1984 1988, which was closely al Cordero, 1984 1988, which was closely allied to the Reagan Administration, an esti lied to the Reagan Administration, an estimated 1,500 Ecuadorians were disappeared. mated 1,500 Ecuadorians were disappeared. Congress,Congress, the second power of the the second power of the EcuadorianEcuadorian state, to climb a ladder state, to climb a ladder with a jar of paint and erase the letters with a jar of paint and erase the letters CIA. There is an arrogance in this, a CIA. There is an arrogance in this, a little bit of Khomeini. The ambassador little bit of Khomeini. The ambassador hashas not ordered the killing of an au not ordered the killing of an author, but the attitude is the same. The thor, but the attitude is the same. The president of our Congress said some president of our Congress said something very important about this:thing very important about this: “How “How isis it possible that you propose such a it possible that you propose such a thing, whenthing, when everyone knows what you everyone knows what you did in Vietnam,did in Vietnam, all that you have done all that you have done in Central America, and about the mili in Central America, and about the militarytary dictatorships of this continent?” dictatorships of this continent?” The CIA is responsible for the dicta The CIA is responsible for the dictatorship of Pinochet, the dictatorships torship of Pinochet, the dictatorships ofof Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Bolivia. Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Bolivia. The interference of the CIA here in The interference of the CIA here in EcuadorEcuador has been equally direct. has been equally direct. Do you think the controversy over your Do you think the controversy over your mural is over now? mural is over now? No, I don’t think so. Everyone No, I don’t think so. Everyone knows that the president of the United knows that the president of the United States was the director of the CIA and States was the director of the CIA and that the U.S. ambassador in Ecuador that the U.S. ambassador in Ecuador belongs to the CIA. Undoubtedly, they belongs to the CIA. Undoubtedly, they have ruined their chances with this have ruined their chances with this EcuadorianEcuadorian government and Congress. government and Congress. But they hope that another Congress But they hope that another Congress will make the change. will make the change. ButBut this is impossible. First, the this is s impossible. First, the Anti imperial Anti imperialist Tribunal of Our ist Tribunal of Our America,*America,* held here last November, he Id here last November, declareddeclared the mural the “Patrimony of the nnural the “Patrimony of LatinLatin America.” The senators of the Americaa.” The senators of the AndeanAndean group also made the same groulp also made the same declaration, demonstrating that this is declaration, dedemonstrating that this is alreadyalready a continental issue. Second, the a continental issue. Second, the GuayasamIn Foundation, my children, Guayasamin Foundation, my children, mymy grandchildren, are the owners of grandchil dren, are the owners of the mural with artist’s rights until fifty the mural with artist’s rights until fifty yearsyears after my death. Third, Ecuador after my death. Third, Ecuador ian law protects the rights of an artist. ian law protec ts the rights of an artist. AndAnd Ecuador has signed UNESCO’s Ecuador has signed UNESCO’s “Law of Defense of Intellectual “Law of Defense of Intellectual Rights.” From a strictly legal point of Rights.” Fron a strictly legal point of view, the mural is untouchable. Nei view, the murral is untouchable. Neither this government, nor any other ther this goveernment, nor any other government can change it. Perhaps a government c;an change it. Perhaps a military government could change it, military govern rnment could change it, but legally it is not possible. but legally it is s not possible. The mural is made with acrylic The mural is made with acrylic paints mixed with powdered marble paints mixed with powdered marble andand applied to fiberglass sheets. The applied tIo fiberglass sheets. The lettersletters are made of bronze. The mural are madde of bronze. The mural isis going to last for at least a thousand going to last for at least a thousand years. The CIA will disappear and the years. The CI A will disappear and the mural will still be here. mural will stilI be here.