Diego Rivera
Date: 1933
Region: North America, Central America and the Caribbean
Subject: Explicit Sexuality, Political/Economic/Social Opinion
Medium: Painting, Public Art
Artist: Diego Rivera
Confronting Bodies: US Government, Alberto Pani, Mexican Government
Dates of Action: 1933, 1936, 1952
Location: New York, United States, Mexico
Description of Artwork: Rivera's paintings often make political statements or depict political figures. In many cases, these displays of art are deemed inappropriate in the public setting.
The Incident: "On May 22, 1933, Rivera was called down from his scaffold at Rockefeller Center where he was still working on the unfinished mural he was commissioned to paint by Nelson Rockefeller. He was handed a check for $14,00, the balance of his fee, and informed that he had been dismissed. Within 30 minutes the mural had been covered by tarpaper and a wooden screen.