Rufino Tamayo

Mexican, 1899 - 1991

BiographyAnother Oaxaqueño of Zapotec origins, a man who was never political, was the painter/muralist, Ruffino Tamayo, who, in 1991, died at age 92. Raised by an aunt who was outraged that the young Tamayo spent his evenings in art classes, Tamayo was yanked out of school and put to work as a delivery boy. It did no good; he continued with his studies and his artwork - in secret.

Tamayo's artwork is considered to be Mexican to the core. He took structure from Mexican tradition; colors from the people. Yet, like fine Mexican cuisine, his work takes on a flair that is decidedly internation-al, which was intentional on his part. What he was trying to do was free himself from the limita-tions of ethnic traditions without losing his feeling for México, its inherent tragedy and its people. As one critic described his work: "mexica-nismo amplio y universal."

In México City, the Tamayo Museum, in Chapultepec Park, contains some fine examples of his work. In Oaxaca City, his home town, the Museo Ruffino Tamayo houses the artist's personal collection of pre-hispanic art.
http://mexonline.com/amigonews/sep02.htm

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