Jose Luis Cuevas

José Luis Cuevas was a Mexican artist who challenged the dominant Mexican muralism movement of his time and was a prominent member of the Generación de la Ruptura (Breakaway Generation). He was a mostly self-taught artist, whose styles and influences were moored to the darker side of life, often depicting distorted figures and the debasement of humanity. He was a controversial figure throughout his career, not only for his often shocking images, but also for his opposition to writers and artists who he felt participated in corruption or created only for money. He also wrote several books, essays, and articles, expressing his views on art and society. He exhibited his works in many countries and received several awards and honors, including the National Prize for Arts and Sciences of Fine Arts in 1981. In 1992, the José Luis Cuevas Museum was opened in the historic center of Mexico City, holding most of his work and his personal art collection. He died of pneumonia in 2017 at the age of 83.