David Alfaro Siqueiros

David Alfaro Siqueiros was a Mexican social realist painter, best known for his large public murals using the latest in equipment, materials and technique. Along with Diego Rivera and José Clemente Orozco, he was one of the most famous of the "Mexican muralists". Siqueiros was a member of the Mexican Communist Party and a staunch supporter of the Spanish Republic during the Spanish Civil War. He was also involved in several political and artistic controversies, such as the failed assassination attempt on Leon Trotsky in 1940 and the censorship of some of his murals by the Mexican government. Siqueiros was a prolific and influential artist who experimented with new techniques and materials, such as synthetic lacquer, spray paint, and pyroxylin. Some of his most notable works include Portrait of the Bourgeoisie (1939–1940), The March of Humanity (1957–1971), and The New Democracy (1944). He also taught and inspired many young artists, such as Jackson Pollock, Rufino Tamayo, and José Luis Cuevas. Siqueiros died in 1974 in Cuernavaca, Morelos, after suffering from kidney failure. He was buried in the Panteón Civil de Dolores in Mexico City, where his tomb is decorated with one of his murals.