E IS FOR ECUADOR

The Legislative Palace is pretty impressive on its own, built in the Bauhaus style and with outside reliefs by Victor Mideros. But this mural, by Orozco’s student Guayasamin, has a fascinating history. Guayasamin made it for the palace’s Plenary hall, and it was supposed to be inaugurated by the diplomatic representative from the US. However, the American diplomat quit the ceremony when he saw the portrayal of CIA: a nazi/Darth Vader helmet with the abbreviator written on top. This has to go into my collection of best art pranks. There is also a photograph of the artist shaking hands with Fidel Castro in front of the mural, so I assume the Cuban leader was able to revel in the humor. Besides, the rest of the mural is full of beautiful imagery based in Ecuadoran folklore, and the portraits of strive so typical for Guayasamin. I would love to hang out in this Plenary hall. And CIA maybe shouldn’t have messed with all the latin countries, huh?

Mural in Legislative Palace of Ecuador ‘Image of the fatherland’