Adolfo Mexiac

Adolfo Mexiac (born August 7, 1927) is a Mexican graphic artist who is known principally for is politically and socially themed work, especially with the Taller de Gráfica Popular and with fellow graphic artist Leopoldo Méndez. He also painted several murals, the most important of which deals with the history of human law at the University of Colima. In 2011, a “national homage” was held for the artist at the Museo de la Estampa in Mexico City.

Adolfo Mexiac was born on August 7, 1927, in Cuto de la Esperanza, Michoacán. He began to study painting at the Escuela Popular de Bellas Artes in Morelia. Later he moved to Mexico City to study at the Escuela Nacional de Artes Plásticas. He also studied at the Escuela Nacional de Pintura, Escultura y Grabado "La Esmeralda", with one of his teachers there being José Chávez Morado.

He learned engraving studying for three years at the Escuela de Artes del Libro located in Colonia Roma, learning various techniques, especially wood engraving, using a jigsaw method to piece the image together which allowed the introduction of various colors, some of the first work of its kind.

At age seventeen he changed his last name from Mejía to Mexiac.

His artistic and personal career was tied to the promotion of leftist causes. He said that fellow political graphic artist Leopoldo Méndez treated him like a son.

He is considered to be one of the main graphic artists in Mexico.

At the beginning of the 1950s he was studying under Pablo O'Higgins and Ignacio Aguirre and occasionally helped them with mural work. When O'Higgins saw some of Mexiac’s drawings, he invited him to the Taller de la Gráfica Popular. There he saw the work they were doing and became involved in lithography and drawing for the organization. He remained for ten years working with Leopoldo Méndez, Pablo O'Higgins and Luis Arenal . Themes of his graphic work were mostly political and social, such as support to striking miners and opposition to imperialism. One famous engraving is called Libertad de expresión (Freedom of Expression) which deals with the coup d’etat and fall of the Jacobo Árbenz government in Guatemala in 1954. The print caused a commotion in Mexico, showing an indigenous person with his mouth covered in chains and a padlock saying “USA.” Referring to this work, he has stated that Mexican artists have never had complete freedom of expression.

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