Man At The Crossroads Analysis

In the featured mural “Man at the Crossroads,” the artist, Diego Rivera, justifies his thesis on a world in utter social turmoil. During the early 1900s, social upheaval spread across the world like wildfire, with a particular focus on WWI and WWII as a method of change in government. The mural addresses issues that Rivera has seen as not only his political views, but a means to move forward to the future. Therefore, Rivera addresses this fact in the title of his piece, there is a crossroad implied for a brighter technologically advanced future or a continued path of turmoil and destruction. In other words, Rivera wants onlookers to view his work as a way to think about how political choices and leadership of societies can affect civilization …show more content…
At the center of the mural is a man who looks to be a worker, of some sort due to his clothes, at the control panel of a large machine. From his position he is looking upward into what can be interpreted as the future and he is the controller of developing technology. Within this future a hand is emerging holding a globe, and surrounding the man is elements of science and technological advances, such as: the telescope, disclosure of space, the microscope, discoveries of the cells, germs, and bacteria. These medical and biological components within the piece provide the advances in a better and healthier life. At the base of the mural is crops that seems to symbolize civilization. To survive every human being needs the basic needs of life: food, water, and shelter. It is important to realize that without food all other activity is suspended, therefore, its position at the base of the mural gives its place of significance. Another element to point out that is located at the bottom is the irrigation system that is associated with the crops supporting the idea of advancement in food …show more content…
On the right, scenes of World War I are depicted, the face of Vladimir Lenin is affiliated, and the social environment of the era is setting the atmosphere. On the left is a small illustration of a 1920’s night-club of the rich as well as educational reference, and a scene of the destruction of war. When looking at the mural, both sides reveal a strong message of the desired and undesirable states of society at the time period. For instance, in the lower left of the mural students look to the central figure, however, a key component to this portion is they 're young and mixed race and ethnicity showing the social changes regarding racial views in the future. Another point is the students are also not looking above them where there is police officers with clubs, this seems to be point of suppressing expression. Lastly, the final element of this mural is the foreshadowing on the right hand side of the mural. In the 1930s there were main attempts to warn of coming conflicts of World War II, many even predicted pinpoints of the warfare. Within the mural foreshadowed scenes of the holocaust of war are depicted by Rivera. However, to compare both sides of the mural Rivera’s political views come into terms. Rivera was a man who supported socialism, therefore, scenes on the right and left sides of the mural represent his view points. One being the harmonious side of a socialist lifestyle and