Pablo O’Higgins: How a Young Artist from Utah Became a Mexican Muralist
Wednesday, June 17 | 6:30–7:30 pm | Zoom | Click here to register
Created in a year-long partnership with Artes de México en Utah, the UMFA presents
a unique series of classes designed to explore Mexican history through art. The series
consists of three sessions in June, July, and August, each with a unique artistic
focus. Taught by Susan Vogel and Renato Olmedo-Gonzalez, the first lesson will be
centered around Utah-born art activist Pablo O’Higgins.
Pablo O’Higgins (1904-83) was actually born under the name Paul Higgins in Salt Lake
City, Utah, in 1904. His family had migrated westward for the opportunities offered
by the expansion known as Manifest Destiny. O’Higgins attended Salt Lake City public
schools including East High School, where he was influenced by his teacher LeConte
Stewart. In 1924, he traveled to Mexico City to see the murals Diego Rivera was painting.
O’Higgins became an assistant to Rivera, working with him on several of his most famous
mural projects before becoming a muralist in his own right. He co-founded Mexico’s
most important printmaking studio, the Taller de Grafica Popular. Today, Mexico considers
him one of the most important muralists of its “second generation” of mural painters.
O’Higgins became a Mexican citizen in 1961.