What did siqueriros mean by the term per-Hispanic?

Answer 1

The term "per-Hispanic" is not a commonly used term in English, and it is possible that it is a mistranslation or a misspelling of the term "pre-Hispanic."

Assuming that the intended term is "pre-Hispanic," it refers to the time period in Mesoamerican and Andean history before the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors and the start of the colonial era in the Americas. This period is also known as the "pre-Columbian" era, referring to the time before the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1492.

In the context of Mexican artist David Alfaro Siqueiros, who was involved in the Mexican muralism movement in the early 20th century, the term "pre-Hispanic" likely refers to the indigenous cultures and civilizations that existed in Mexico and other parts of the Americas before the arrival of the Spanish. Siqueiros and other Mexican muralists often depicted pre-Hispanic themes and imagery in their works as a way of celebrating and preserving indigenous culture and history.

Answer 2

David Alfaro Siqueiros was a Mexican painter and one of the most prominent members of the Mexican muralism movement. He used the term "per-Hispanic" to refer to the pre-Columbian or pre-Hispanic cultures that existed in Mexico and other parts of Central and South America before the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors in the 16th century.

Siqueiros believed that the indigenous cultures of Mexico, such as the Maya and Aztec civilizations, had a rich cultural heritage that was often ignored or suppressed by the dominant European culture that followed the Spanish conquest. By using the term "per-Hispanic," Siqueiros was emphasizing the importance of these pre-Hispanic cultures and their contributions to Mexican identity and culture.

Through his artwork and activism, Siqueiros sought to celebrate the indigenous cultures of Mexico and promote a sense of national pride and identity that incorporated both the pre-Columbian and modern Mexican cultures. He believed that by acknowledging and celebrating the diversity of Mexico's cultural heritage, it would be possible to create a more unified and inclusive society that valued and respected all its citizens.