‘ By Gerlaine Kiamco Following a long legacy of artists who use their art to speak out against injustice and demand social change, Oaxacan artists have addressed the unfolding political conflict using a wide array media. From paintings in galleries to murals in the streets, the people of Oaxaca have had the opportunity to see parts of their lived histories represented on the walls around them. In October, 2006, a group of artists who had been supporting the Popular Assembly of the Peoples of Oaxaca (APPO) organized to combine their efforts.

They called themselves the Revolutionary Assembly of Artists of Oaxaca, ASARO by its Spanish acronym. According to their manifesto, they united “artistic collectives, independent artists, folk artists, and creators of diverse artistic disciplines” to join together in the “search for new and free art, joining our people in resistance against the oppression and alienation imposed by an individualistic, decadent culture.” They also expressed their intention for the construction of spaces of artistic creation for children and youth. Collectives and artists such as ArteJaguar, StencilZone, Colectivo ZAPE, individual art students, and graffiti artists had worked separately in order to inform the people and support the movement with their work.

But with the death of various activists and the entrance of the federal police which coincided with one of Mexico’s most important holidays, Day of the Dead, ASARO formed as an organized assembly of all the aforementioned groups. ASARO invited all of the artists to come and work for the people. They made large tapetes, colorful sand sculptures, throughout the central streets and at the feet of the armed riot police blocking access to the city center. In that way, they honored those fallen in the movement and began to organize sustained artistic resistance to the conflict. From this day forward, the artists of ASARO have painted in the marches and in the streets.

They created a mural for the Law School at the state university, exhibited their work in the Institute of Graphic Arts of Oaxaca (IAGO) and spoke about their vision of visual resistance at the National School of Anthropology and History (ENAH). They have printed woodblock prints and postcards to sell in order to support their projects. Images of Emilio Zapata, grasshoppers, students, marches, people, indigenous symbols, police violence, and much more are present in their images. They intend for the content of their work to be clear, direct and open possibility for dialogue between artist and spectator. However, Oaxacans are not the only ones who are viewing ASARO’s art. Because of tourism, national and international support, and the Internet, people from all over the world have access to these images.

Also, ASARO has been working with an American artist who has been organizing exhibitions and selling their work in the U.S.

The artists of ASARO are diverse; they represent different age groups, social classes, artistic levels, and political beliefs, but during the most intense moments of the social movement they united for the cause of the movement. The word ‘revolutionary,’ appears in their name, but as one member, Teak, explains, revolutionary does not have to mean something combative or refer to the use of arms, but rather, indicates the need for “change, new ideas, new projects”. With so much diversity, it is difficult to say that everyone in ASARO is a graffiti artist, stencil artist, anarchist, Marxist, communist, or any other identity, but this is exactly what is occurring. According to information published on the Internet, the majority of ASARO members are ‘Stalinists’ or member of the Popular Revolutionary Front (FPR in Spanish) because of images of Stalin, Engles, and phrases supporting the FPR that have appeared in some ASARO wood block prints. The same notions have led to rumors circulating on the internet: that these members of ASARO are identifying anarchists to the police and use their art to raise money for the FPR. The people making such claims ask for people not to offer support or solidarity to ASARO. Perhaps there are people who have formulated their opinions about ASARO based on these ideas, but I think it is unfair to condemn an entire group for the beliefs of some of its members, particularly when diversity of beliefs and backgrounds is fundamental to the organization. This manner of speaking of ‘majorities’ of groups without having all the facts or investigating more into the issue is another way of the dominant maintaining power by dividing the people for its differences.

According to the traditional format of an assembly, there are no leaders, only meetings where the group decides as a whole what is best for everyone. ASARO works under the assembly structure, having meetings every two weeks in order to talk about upcoming events, finances, news, projects, etc. For some ASARO members, the assembly is a space to be with friends, work on new projects, use materials and earn a little bit of money, but for others, ASARO is a space to exchange ideas, speak of artistic theories and social philosophies, improve techniques, and to have discussions. That is, each member comes to the assembly with his or her own history, objectives, and perspectives on the movement. Not everyone says that they are with the APPO. Not everyone says that they participate in the FPR. Not everyone is an anarchist. Not everyone calls him/herself an artist. The only thing that they have in common is their desire to express themselves through their art. In a state as diverse as Oaxaca, it would be difficult to create an assembly of artists without including members from all of the different political groups, ethnicities, religions, schools. The assembly is all the richer for the collective of interests and backgrounds. The popular movement in Oaxaca is only of a pueblo, but rather pueblos. It is not the fight of one person but rather thousands that are living, have lived, and will live here in the state. The fight is not rich against poor but rather against systems of oppression that have made it easier to dominate those with less power through racism, machismo, and social classes. The images that ASARO produces are as diverse as its members. Reviewing the images, you will find references to Stalin, to the Virgin Guadalupe, to Marx to Emiliano Zapata—to Catholicism, to anarchy, to communism, to pacifism, to armed organizations, to symbols of indigenous autonomy. In other words, the art of ASARO reflects something of the diversity that is Oaxaca, and that has composed the Oaxacan social movement. Not everyone in ASARO can dedicate all of their time working for the assembly. Many are students, have their own business and careers, others have families to take care of, and others responsibilities in life and that is why they are using their talents to fight. Every time they go out into the streets to paint, every time they put up a stencil or show one of their wood prints, they are risking their lives due to the repression that to this day exists in Oaxaca. But despite risks, they keep painting so that, according to Don Calavera, “the people will not close their eyes and will see the realities that we live” The social struggle here in Oaxaca is for better education, health care, drinking water, among other basic human rights and against the government corruption that prevents access to all of these things. Oaxaca continues to be one of the poorest states in Mexico and has among the highest levels of immigration to the U.S. Not much has changed structurally for Oaxacans, but the spirit of the people has been changing little by little with the will to fight and those from ASARO wish to help them with their art with social themes. According to ASARO member Mario, “ASARO rose out of a social movement, therefore the nature of the art it produces reflect the needs and struggles of societies. If this movement ends before the people have achieved their goals, the social problems are going to continue.” This is why he hopes that ASARO will survive the rumors and accusations that attempt to divide them, so that they can continue telling parts of the stories of Oaxacans through their images. For More images please visit: http://web.mac.com/dfteitel/iWeb/ASAR-O/Home.html