The Untold Story of Miguel Cuauhtémoc
By Sergio Rojas Leyva
June 12th, 2022
Miguel Ángel Cuauhtemoc is proudly a Mexican artist, he was born in 1988 in Mexico City. He began his Design career at the School of Design of the National Institute of Fine Arts in Mexico, however the call to become a painter was stronger than the call to finish his studies. There are many cases that I will not mention of characters who have left school to follow their passion and have had great success, committing and "burning the ships" pays off. Without detracting the value of what he learned and what has been told by himself about the Design school: "I learned the technique, the trends and the rigor that is required to create."
Mántrica. 1.10 X 2.50 m. Miguel Cuauhtemoc. 2020. Acrylic and pastel on canvas.
I met Miguel personally in his old studio in the picturesque Buenavista neighborhood, since I met him I realized that he is an artist committed to his vocation, the door of his apartment was decorated with his art and the walls upholstered with his striking and colorful pictures, right there he had the materials for the elaboration of his paintings and sculptures. The smell of oil painting is a smell that hypnotizes me, I could even say that the smell itself awakens my creativity, brings ideas to my mind, and also raises up my energy.
To the surprise of many, Miguel was assistant of one of the most recognized and valued living Mexican painters today. Miguel did not learn to paint with him, however he had a great influence on Miguel, to a certain extent Miguel made the decision to become a painter when he visited his studio the very first time.
He learned to assemble the racks basically using the necessary supplies, boards, nails, hammer and of course his hands.
He also learned where to buy paints, brushes and paintbrush, he learned by seeing the discipline that is required to create, he discovered how to operate an artist's studio and finally he became an artist himself.
Miguel's work combines Mexican culture and expressionist art, among other places he has exhibited at the MUNAL (National Art Museum) as well as in the United States and Colombia. The colors, shapes and textures of his paintings allow you to give them the meaning you want to give them, according to your “imaginary”, a word widely used by him.
In Miguel I have found other similarities with great Mexican artists, an example is the relationship with the Xoloitzcuintles that were the mascot of Diego Rivera and Fridha Kahlo and have also been painted by Diego himself, Frida and Rufino Tamayo among others.
"Art is one of the means to unify people." Immanuel Kant.
References:
https://www.miguelcuauhtemoc.com/
IG: @miguelcuauh
