| In 1933, the famous New York Rockefeller family | | | | the modern worker confronted by a symbolic |
| commissioned Diego Rivera to paint a mural on the | | | | junction of industry, capitalism, socialism and science. |
| wall of the new RCA centre. The theme for the wall | | | | The newest of the Diego Rivera murals was |
| was to be "new frontiers", and it was Nelson A. | | | | provisionally called "Man at the Crossroads Looking |
| Rockefeller himself who wanted the painting to force | | | | with Hope and High Vision to the Choosing of a New |
| people to stop and think about its message. The | | | | and Better Future." The mural was spectacular and |
| finished product depicted a number of scenes that | | | | achieved Nelson Rockefeller's goal of creating a work |
| referred to socially relevant events of the time. | | | | that was arresting and inspiring. Among some of the |
| However, there was one element of the mural that | | | | influential personalities portrayed on the canvas were |
| the Rockefellers deemed too controversial and | | | | Jean Harlow, Charlie Chaplin, Edsel Ford and the |
| Rivera was asked to change the prominent face of a | | | | famous Russian communist leader Vladimir Lenin. |
| well-known political figure. What began as an effort | | | | Upon completion of the mural, Rivera revealed his |
| to bring an eye-catching and thought provoking work | | | | work to the Rockefellers, but their response was not |
| of art to the Rockefeller Centre soon turned into a | | | | what he had expected. When Nelson Rockefeller |
| major conflict that would involve America's richest | | | | adamantly demanded that Rivera remove the image |
| family, Mexico's most famous artist, and the entire | | | | of Lenin and replace it with the face of another |
| American public. | | | | historically influential leader, Rivera refused and the |
| Diego Rivera murals had gained huge attention in the | | | | mural was subsequently covered for an entire year. |
| artist's home country of Mexico. The task of creating | | | | Although many American citizens protested to what |
| a painting on one of America's most famous | | | | they perceived to be artistic censorship, the painting |
| landmarks, however, promised to be the job that | | | | would never see the light of day in the States and it |
| would bring Rivera international fame. It is said that, | | | | was eventually chiseled off the wall at Rockefeller's |
| initially, the Rockefeller family, who favoured a more | | | | request. |
| modern style of art, wanted Henri Matisse or Pablo | | | | Objecting to having his work censored, Diego Rivera |
| Picasso to handle the enormous task, but because | | | | later reproduced the mural in its original form on the |
| the two artists were unavailable for hire, Diego | | | | interior wall of the Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico |
| Rivera was approached. Seizing the great | | | | City. His new painting was as grand and thought |
| opportunity, Rivera accepted the commission and | | | | provoking as the original, but Rivera chose to call this |
| immediately began work on the large mural. | | | | new version, "Man Controller of the Universe." Today, |
| Although the Rockefeller family had put forward the | | | | this most controversial of the Diego Rivera murals is |
| idea for the theme "new frontiers", Rivera | | | | still displayed in Mexico City and many a fan of Rivera |
| disapproved with the Western world's embrace of | | | | still dispute the Rockefeller family's decision to |
| free enterprise. Choosing instead to follow his own | | | | prevent the work from being viewed. |
| political beliefs, Rivera painted scenes that depicted | | | | |