Art Opening
David Leonardo
Wed, Mar 17, 6pm
James Pinto Gallery
Instituto Allende
Ancho de San Antonio 20

Leonardo continues muralist tradition
By Jaime Fernandez

Renowned artist and muralist David Leonardo kicks off his show of new paintings. Born in Mexico City in 1963, Leonardo (Chavez Castañeda) began painting as soon as he could hold a brush. Both his parents, Angélica Castañeda Velasco and Humberto Chavez Cabrales, were painters, and he has remained in close contact with other artists.

His two major teachers were both involved in the revival of Mexican Muralism. Arnold Belkin, a prolific artist and disciple of David Alfaro Siqueiros, set out to spread muralist techniques and to raise the cultural critical consciousness. “Vlady,” the son of Victor Serge Kibalchick, political advisor to Trotsky, was involved in the application of Trotskyite principles to the muralist revival. Leonardo himself continues the muralist tradition through his own work and that of his Instituto Allende students. He has produced 11 murals, of which major examples can be seen at the Instituto (modern Mexican history) and the Biblioteca Pública (pre-Hispanic mythology). 

Leonardo’s vast body of studio work includes oil, acrylic, wood and bronze. His themes express historical, mythological and philosophical interests, particularly pre-Hispanic and contemporary indigenous cultures. He has lived with the Huicholes.

Leonardo has coined the term “Latin Expressionism” for his personal style, which mixes the rich, vibrant colors of Mexican fruit and earth with the intensity of pre-Hispanic cultures. For the muralists, his art has deep spiritual significance. More recently, he has been influenced by Buddhist and other Eastern philosophies. Yet what moves him forward is the spirit within. He adheres to the adage, “If art is real, art will heal.”