Jujuy 1937

Antonio Berni made this painting, Jujuy, with oil on canvas, and it’s a great example of how social realism makes you think about the world around you. Berni sets this scene with ochres, purples, and reds—hues of the dry earth and textiles of the Andes. You can imagine Berni layering the paint to build the monumental forms of the figures, depicting the people of Jujuy with what seems like unflinching honesty, their faces telling stories of hardship, resilience, and solidarity. I wonder if Berni thought about Diego Rivera’s paintings when making this? I can almost feel the artist's hand moving across the canvas, trying to capture the scene, but also understanding his place as an outsider looking in, an observer bearing witness. The way the figures are grouped makes me think about the importance of community and the daily struggles of the indigenous people in Argentina.