Acrylic Paint

A vibrant, abstract portrait painting of Patrick Flores by locally celebrated muralist Leo Tanguma. This beautiful piece features rich warm colors and bright pink highlights. Leo Tanguma is known for depicting the struggles of Mexican-Americans and telling the story of their cultural roots and the need for political activism. Patrick Fernández Flores, (July 26, 1929 – January 9, 2017), was a Roman Catholic cleric who from 1979 to 2004 was the Archbishop of San Antonio, Texas. Flores was the first Mexican American to become a bishop of the Catholic Church.

Leo Tanguma, the son of migrant farmworkers, grew up in Beeville, Texas. In his early childhood, he made sketches of his parents while they worked in the cotton fields. Leo majored in art at Texas Southern University where he studied under Dr. John Biggers, Chairman of the Art Department and nationally recognized as one of the foremost muralists. In 1972 in Mexico City, Leo Tanguma met David Alfaro Siqueiros who significantly influenced his work. Siqueriros advised Tanguma to take his themes from American life and to avoid strictly folkloric material. Since the early 70's, Leo has completed many murals in the tradition of the great Mexican muralists Rivera, Orozco, and Siqueiros in painting oppressed peoples struggles. Perhaps his most well known work is "Rebirth of Our Nationality" (1973) on the exterior wall of the Continental Can Company building in Houston, Texas. This mural portrays the awakening of the Mexican American's self awareness. Other themes depicted in his murals include Black self awareness, police brutality, man's assault on the environment, racism, youth violence, and the struggles of women, the elderly, and the working class. Over 30 years ago, Tanguma developed the concept of structural murals since many murals on walls have been defaced or painted over. The structural mural combines the discipline of sculpture and mural art into an integrated piece of art work.

H 72 in. x W 59.25 in. x D .75 in.