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Indita
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Object number1964/5.742

Indita

Maker (Mexican, 1898-1974)
Dateca. 1925-1950
Mediumlithograph
Dimensionsmat: 28 × 22 in. (71.1 × 55.9 cm)
sheet: 23 × 15 7/8 in. (58.4 × 40.3 cm)
image: 21 1/16 × 12 1/2 in. (53.5 × 31.8 cm)
Credit LineDirector's Fund
Exhibition History"ARTREACH: Hispanic Art: Tradition and Innovation," KIA (Sept. 7 - 28, 1993). "Passion on Paper: Masterly Prints from the KIA Collection," March 17 - July 15, 2018, Groos Gallery.Label Text"Indita refers to a female indigenous person in Mexican culture. Siqueiros modeled this character on an exaggerated figure style found in native pottery. The circumstances surrounding the first release of this lithograph in the United States in 1931 tell a fascinating story about the success and financial safety net that printmaking provided for the artist during a tumultuous time in his life. Siqueiros was banished from Mexico City when he was released from prison for illegal political activities as a communist. He was exiled to Taxco, Mexico, in 1930. In Taxco, he happened to meet William Spratling, an American author and jewelry designer who was an agent for the Weyhe Gallery in New York, then an influential publisher of contemporary international artists. Through Spratling, a deal was struck for the first edition of this image. It proved so successful that it was quickly followed by a second edition. Siqueiros may have re-released the print during his life, explaining the wide date range used on this label (written by Nancy Sojka for Passion on Paper: Masterly Prints from the KIA Collection, 2018)."