Fresco

I took part in a fresco workshop last week. My teacher Jesus Gonzalez Gutierrez learnt the technique from Diego Rivera's assistant. We talked a lot about what was true Mexican technique and what was Italian. I made the design to look like like part of a codex; it depicts the aztec god  Tezcatlipoca (pronounced Tez-cah-tlee-poh-ka). His name means “Smoking Mirror” and he often represented an evil power. Tezcatlipoca was the patron of the night, of the north, and in many aspects represented the opposite of Quetzalcoatl. I drew him holding a red corn stalk. 

I was trying to find an image to represent the transgenic corn debate and thought DNA and godliness had enough in common that this image could mean 'what would happen if the DNA of corn ended up in the wrong hands.' the DNA of corn now is in the wrong hands and here is the symbol! 

The technique of fresco consists of adhering layers of sand and lime mixture to a stone or concrete wall and painting on the surface with water and pigments while it is still fresh (a fresco) after 8 hours the painting is absorbed into the surface of the wall so that it will last for 2000 years or more. Lets hope the building is still there, Thus preserving a historic moment. heritage against transgenico!

Rose Arbuthnott

Rose's finished fresco from a workshop with Jesus Gonzalez.

See more pictures and links for Jesus' workshop on our facebook page.