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Laman Ismayilova

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The Azerbaijan National Art Museum has hosted the opening ceremony of the exhibition "Diego Rivera: The Promise of a Better Future" organized by Mexico's Diego Rivera Anahuacalli Museum, Azernews reports.

The exhibition is jointly organized by the Embassy of Mexico in Azerbaijan, the Azerbaijan Culture Ministry, the Anahuacalli Museum, and the Azerbaijan National Art Museum. Dedicated to the world-renowned Mexican artist Diego Rivera (1886–1957), the exhibition marks the Anahuacalli Museum's first project presented on an international scale.

The exhibition features nearly 100 photographic reproductions covering Rivera's artistic legacy — including murals, paintings, sketches, as well as archival photographs and documents. These materials provide visitors with the opportunity to closely explore the unique creativity of one of the greatest artists of the 20th century.

At the opening ceremony, Director of the Azerbaijan National Art Museum Shirin Malikova, Ambassador of Mexico to Azerbaijan Victoria Romero, PhD in Arts Telman Ibrahimov, and Director of the Diego Rivera Anahuacalli Museum Teresa Moya delivered speeches highlighting the significance of the exhibition. They emphasized that Diego Rivera’s art reflects universal values and constitutes an integral part of Mexico’s cultural heritage. The speakers also underlined that the exhibition contributes to strengthening cultural ties between Azerbaijan and Mexico, expressing gratitude to the organizers.

The exhibition consists of five main thematic sections that outline Rivera's key role in Mexico's social transformation. They cover the artist’s reflections on art, his position in the muralist movement, the synthesis of painting and architecture, and the social role of art in post-revolutionary Mexico. The displays reflect Rivera’s deep engagement in the Mexican Revolution, public education, and the role of art as a tool for civil society. Visitors will witness how Rivera emerged as a leading figure in Mexican muralism, valuing art not only as an aesthetic medium but also as an instrument for education and the formation of public consciousness.

Photographic reproductions of Rivera's mural "Creation" (1922), painted at the National Preparatory School in Mexico, hold a special place in the exhibition. This monumental work is regarded as the beginning of Mexican muralism and demonstrates a synthesis of Renaissance style with local motifs. His later monumental projects, including murals at Chapingo and the Ministry of Public Education in Mexico, are also represented.

In addition, reproductions of murals at the National Palace in Mexico City and the Palace of Cortés in Cuernavaca showcase Rivera's ability to present history as a social struggle and highlight the importance he placed on indigenous culture. Rivera's international activities are also thoroughly represented in the exhibition. His mural "Man at the Crossroads," created in 1933 at Rockefeller Center in New York, caused great controversy and was destroyed. However, Rivera recreated this work in Mexico at the Palace of Fine Arts under the title "Man, Controller of the Universe." Documentary footage of this work is among the exhibition’s most notable highlights.

A central section of the exhibition is dedicated to the Anahuacalli Museum, created on Rivera's own initiative. Designed by the artist himself and located in Mexico city, this unique space was built from volcanic stone. The museum aimed to serve as a bridge between ancient heritage, modernity, and the future. Architectural plans, sketches, and photographs presented in the exhibition vividly demonstrate Rivera’s idea of preserving cultural roots while inspiring future generations.

It should be noted that this exhibition project was realized through the initiative of Ambassador Victoria Romero and the joint efforts of the Embassy of Mexico in Azerbaijan, the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the General Directorate of Cultural Diplomacy, and the Anahuacalli Museum.

This initiative showcases the role of art as an instrument of cultural diplomacy, presenting to the international community Rivera's artistic vision rooted in the social struggles of the Mexican people.

The exhibition will remain open to visitors until December 30, 2025.

Media partners of the event are Azernews.Az, Trend.Az, Day.Az and Milli.Az