The Ford Barn

Richard · 04-12-2013, 04:42 PM

here is some cool pictures of a moment captured in 1933 of the Ford plant by Diego Rivera

Torchie · 04-12-2013, 05:02 PM

Diego Rivera murals in the Ford Court yard at the Detroit Institute of Arts. As a child I used to go to this museum and sit in the court yard and look at these marvels. Everytime I went I saw something new. Rivera was entranced by the raw power and the fact that the workers at the Rouge River plant made such a good living for the times.
Too bad the Rockefellers couldn't get past the fact that Rivera was a communist(of sorts) and tore down the mural they commisioned for their new building in New York.
They couldn't get past him sticking in a likeness of Lennin. I believe there is one of Lennin in the Detroit murals as well.

Rand · 04-12-2013, 07:54 PM

Man those are "way" Cool
Thanks for postin them
Randy

Richard · 04-12-2013, 08:57 PM

Imagine watching the assembly plant in 1933, moreover the mural is through an artist eyes.

ford38v8 · 04-12-2013, 09:32 PM

It was Edsel's doing, his money and his choosing of Diego. Edsel knew exactly the kind of mural Diego would be painting, and commissioned the murals with no restrictions. Rivera spent, I think, two weeks unescorted inside the Rouge, making notes and drawing sketches. The resulting murals were his scathing statement against the car industry,Democracy, the profit motive and greed at the expense of the health and the very lives of the workers.

As Henry Ford acknowledged that the Model T changed the way America lived and subsequently salvaged and preserved what he could in the way of education, dancing, medicine, hydro-electric power, and museum collections, I believe this was Edsel's way of acknowledging the cost of that change in human terms with Diego's depiction of the American Zombie workforce. This dual acknowledgement from these two Ford men has never really been explored in print to my knowledge, and i believe it to be a subject that is overdue. Henry Dominguez, are you reading this?

Richard · 04-12-2013, 09:56 PM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

God can be the judge, the mural's purpose is subjective in nature.

Terry,OH · 04-13-2013, 06:17 AM

These works are part of our national treasure! It is indeed sad and a loss, his work in NY was covered over.

bk53 · 04-13-2013, 06:59 AM

Thanks, I grew up gazing at that a couple times a year. Everything about it still fascinates me,

wilmalcolm · 04-13-2013, 07:18 AM

The Detroit institute of Arts is mounting an exhibition about the Rivera murals. I looked online and couldn't find out when that will be. I am friendly with the curator who is working on that show and will get back to you with the dates. I'm sure there will be catalog accompanying the exhibition. Should be interesting.

bigvince · 04-13-2013, 08:36 AM

Intersting tidbit is the mural here was used as a poster for the 2nd Detroit Grand Prix. The workers became a pit crew for the car and it kept with the original piece rather well.

ford38v8 · 04-15-2013, 10:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ford38v8

It was Edsel's doing, his money and his choosing of Diego. Edsel knew exactly the kind of mural Diego would be painting, and commissioned the murals with no restrictions. Rivera spent, I think, two weeks unescorted inside the Rouge, making notes and drawing sketches. The resulting murals were his scathing statement against the car industry,Democracy, the profit motive and greed at the expense of the health and the very lives of the workers.

As Henry Ford acknowledged that the Model T changed the way America lived and subsequently salvaged and preserved what he could in the way of education, dancing, medicine, hydro-electric power, and museum collections, I believe this was Edsel's way of acknowledging the cost of that change in human terms with Diego's depiction of the American Zombie workforce. This dual acknowledgement from these two Ford men has never really been explored in print to my knowledge, and i believe it to be a subject that is overdue. Henry Dominguez, are you reading this?

Well, I've got egg on my face now.

Henry Dominguez tells me that he did in fact devote a whole chapter to the subject in his biography of Edsel.
I have the book and haven't got around to reading it yet.

Round-to-its seem to be getting scarce in my old age!

mrtexas · 04-15-2013, 11:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Torchie

Too bad the Rockefellers couldn't get past the fact that Rivera was a communist(of sorts) and tore down the mural they commisioned for their new building in New York. They couldn't get past him sticking in a likeness of Lennin. I believe there is one of Lenin in the Detroit murals as well.

I don't blame them, Lenin was one of the most evil killers of thousands of people in history.

Torchie · 04-16-2013, 01:02 AM

If you think Lennin was bad. Read up on Stalin. He makes Lennin look like a saint.
Plus at the time of the murals painting the truth in regards to lennin as well as other communist leaders hadn't really been revealed yet.
My understanding from talking to people that were alive during this time period and knew Rivera when he and his wife were in Detroit is that he thought that the workers at the Rouge were well off and the immense power of the place fascinated him. Rivera was also a big supporter of industrialization as a way for the masses to move forward. He considered these murals to be his greatest.
Must be I heard it wrong.
Side note.
I believe he replicated the destroyed Rockafeller murals some where in Mexico.
Torchie.

Torchie · 04-16-2013, 01:07 AM

If you think Lennin was bad. Read up on Stalin. He makes Lennin look like a saint.
At the time of the murals painting the truth in regards to lennin as well as other communist leaders hadn't really been revealed yet. Plus Rivera considered himself a Marxist. Which i suppose is a fine point to make.
Most of the uproar came in regards to what the local clergy considered the blasphemous way Christianity is portrade in some of the panels.

My understanding from talking to people that were alive during this time period and knew Rivera when he and his wife were in Detroit is that he thought that the workers at the Rouge were well off and the immense power of the place fascinated him. Rivera was also a big supporter of industrialization as a way for the masses to move forward. He considered these murals to be his greatest.
Must be I heard it wrong.

Side note.
I believe he replicated the destroyed Rockafeller murals some where in Mexico.
Torchie.

04-12-2013, 05:02 PM	#2
Torchie Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Northern Mi. Posts: 355	Re: Diego Rivera Ford Mural 1932-33 Diego Rivera murals in the Ford Court yard at the Detroit Institute of Arts. As a child I used to go to this museum and sit in the court yard and look at these marvels. Everytime I went I saw something new. Rivera was entranced by the raw power and the fact that the workers at the Rouge River plant made such a good living for the times. Too bad the Rockefellers couldn't get past the fact that Rivera was a communist(of sorts) and tore down the mural they commisioned for their new building in New York. They couldn't get past him sticking in a likeness of Lennin. I believe there is one of Lennin in the Detroit murals as well.

04-12-2013, 07:54 PM	#3
Rand Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Buford, GA Posts: 380	Re: Diego Rivera Ford Mural 1932-33 Man those are "way" Cool Thanks for postin them Randy

04-12-2013, 08:57 PM	#4
Richard Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Santa Fe Springs, California Posts: 280	Re: Diego Rivera Ford Mural 1932-33 Imagine watching the assembly plant in 1933, moreover the mural is through an artist eyes. __________________ I am a believer

04-12-2013, 09:32 PM	#5
ford38v8 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: SF Bay Area Posts: 6,646	Re: Diego Rivera Ford Mural 1932-33 It was Edsel's doing, his money and his choosing of Diego. Edsel knew exactly the kind of mural Diego would be painting, and commissioned the murals with no restrictions. Rivera spent, I think, two weeks unescorted inside the Rouge, making notes and drawing sketches. The resulting murals were his scathing statement against the car industry,Democracy, the profit motive and greed at the expense of the health and the very lives of the workers. As Henry Ford acknowledged that the Model T changed the way America lived and subsequently salvaged and preserved what he could in the way of education, dancing, medicine, hydro-electric power, and museum collections, I believe this was Edsel's way of acknowledging the cost of that change in human terms with Diego's depiction of the American Zombie workforce. This dual acknowledgement from these two Ford men has never really been explored in print to my knowledge, and i believe it to be a subject that is overdue. Henry Dominguez, are you reading this? __________________ Alan

04-12-2013, 09:56 PM	#6
Richard Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Santa Fe Springs, California Posts: 280	Re: Diego Rivera Ford Mural 1932-33 Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) God can be the judge, the mural's purpose is subjective in nature. __________________ I am a believer

04-13-2013, 06:17 AM	#7
Terry,OH Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 4,751	Re: Diego Rivera Ford Mural 1932-33 These works are part of our national treasure! It is indeed sad and a loss, his work in NY was covered over.

04-13-2013, 06:59 AM	#8
bk53 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Near Dallas Posts: 387	Re: Diego Rivera Ford Mural 1932-33 Thanks, I grew up gazing at that a couple times a year. Everything about it still fascinates me,

04-13-2013, 07:18 AM	#9
wilmalcolm Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Posts: 12	Re: Diego Rivera Ford Mural 1932-33 The Detroit institute of Arts is mounting an exhibition about the Rivera murals. I looked online and couldn't find out when that will be. I am friendly with the curator who is working on that show and will get back to you with the dates. I'm sure there will be catalog accompanying the exhibition. Should be interesting.

04-13-2013, 08:36 AM	#10
bigvince Member Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 48	Re: Diego Rivera Ford Mural 1932-33 Intersting tidbit is the mural here was used as a poster for the 2nd Detroit Grand Prix. The workers became a pit crew for the car and it kept with the original piece rather well.

04-16-2013, 01:02 AM	#13
Torchie Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Northern Mi. Posts: 355	Re: Diego Rivera Ford Mural 1932-33 If you think Lennin was bad. Read up on Stalin. He makes Lennin look like a saint. Plus at the time of the murals painting the truth in regards to lennin as well as other communist leaders hadn't really been revealed yet. My understanding from talking to people that were alive during this time period and knew Rivera when he and his wife were in Detroit is that he thought that the workers at the Rouge were well off and the immense power of the place fascinated him. Rivera was also a big supporter of industrialization as a way for the masses to move forward. He considered these murals to be his greatest. Must be I heard it wrong. Side note. I believe he replicated the destroyed Rockafeller murals some where in Mexico. Torchie.

04-16-2013, 01:07 AM	#14
Torchie Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Northern Mi. Posts: 355	Re: Diego Rivera Ford Mural 1932-33 If you think Lennin was bad. Read up on Stalin. He makes Lennin look like a saint. At the time of the murals painting the truth in regards to lennin as well as other communist leaders hadn't really been revealed yet. Plus Rivera considered himself a Marxist. Which i suppose is a fine point to make. Most of the uproar came in regards to what the local clergy considered the blasphemous way Christianity is portrade in some of the panels. My understanding from talking to people that were alive during this time period and knew Rivera when he and his wife were in Detroit is that he thought that the workers at the Rouge were well off and the immense power of the place fascinated him. Rivera was also a big supporter of industrialization as a way for the masses to move forward. He considered these murals to be his greatest. Must be I heard it wrong. Side note. I believe he replicated the destroyed Rockafeller murals some where in Mexico. Torchie.