Arnold Belkin (December 9, 1930 in Calgary, Alberta – July 3, 1992 in Mexico City, Distrito Federal) was a Mexican painter, who has often been referred as "The Canadian Son of Mexican Muralism". Arnold's father was a Russian Jew and his mother was an English Jewish woman (Greenberg).
"Las Humanidades" (1971). At Lock Haven University, PA, USA
In his youth he attended the Vancouver School of Art and developed a profound interest for Muralism. Choosing Muralism as his path, he decided to meet and learn personally from the great creators of Muralism at that time, the Mexicans Diego Rivera, Jose Clemente Orozco and David Alfaro Siqueiros.
Arriving in Mexico City at the age of 18 years, Belkin attended La Esmeralda Art School and the INBA School for Painting and Sculpture. He also learned modern art techniques at the Jose Gutierrez’ Workshop on Materials and Plastics. In 1950, only two years after arriving in Mexico he created his first Mural (!El Pueblo No Quiere La Guerra!) a fresco at the National Polytechnic Institute, which was later destroyed.
In his early artistic period, Belkin’s works reflect Mexican folklore especially relating to festivities and death. They are intense and dramatic compositions about man and creation. Belkin was deeply impressed by the new culture he was witnessing and responded by drawing figures of Mexican natives, scenes of popular festivities and funeral processions.
In the early nineteen fifties he met Siqueiros and befriended him. He collaborated with him in the making of Patricios y Patricidas a mural at the Customs Office and Cuauhtémoc a mural at the Palacio de Bellas Artes, both in Mexico City. At Belkin’s first individual exhibition, in November 1952, Siqueiros praised him in the Catalogue for his themes and innovations.
From very early on and throughout his life, Belkin had immense pleasure in designing costumes for the Mexican theater and ballet. For him body movement and rhythm were intensely related to plastic expression. Belkin also enjoyed traveling to the interior of his adopted country, where he found inspiration for his works...
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arnold_Belkin
