Description

Born in Guatemala, Carlos Mérida depicted his native culture throughout his art. This print belongs to a series related to the Popol Vuh, an ancient Mayan epic that describes the world’s creation. Rather than straightforwardly illustrating the text, Mérida uses bright, overlapping fields of color and dynamic abstract forms to convey the narrative’s drama and grandiosity. More broadly, the striking image suggests the strength of an indigenous culture unaffected by the European conquerors who had attempted to eradicate it.