In a presentation on Oct. 13, Hispanic Society of America curator Patrick Lenaghan discussed the historical challenges of interpreting the murals, then, with UC Berkeley Ph.D. candidate Christine Kierig, led small group Q&As up close to the artwork.
Lenaghan explored the history of interpretations of Don Quixote, from the original story by Miguel Cervantes through 3 centuries of changing mindsets regarding the piece.
Noting that visual interpretations are especially hard since “no one can agree what Don Quixote is about.” The audience was then invited to compare the decisions of three contemporary artists adapting the piece, Goya, Picasso and Dalí.
“Interpretation is a tricky business,” said Grant Mocker, a graduate student studying counseling and psychology. “I agree that it was probably meant as (…) comedy, but I don’t think there’s necessarily anything wrong with us going back and finding something noble and heroic in that.”
Much of the lecture was spent comparing adaptations of Don Quixote through the centuries. In the 16th century the story was widely regarded as comedic. Later in the 19th century, artists viewed the piece through a more romantic lens.
“At first glance I would never really expect (the murals) to be of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza,” said Cole Gray, a sophomore English major present at the talk. “It’s one of my favorite books of all time, so it was really incredible to get to see something at the college that I attend… depicting them.”
The talk was the second in a series of presentations to be held by the Kansas City Monuments Coalition with funding from the Mellon Foundation. The murals have recently undergone restoration, also funded by KCMC.
“A restoration returns an object as close as possible to its original condition,” said Lenaghan after the talk. “It gives you a chance to see the work in a way that the artist wanted.”
The murals have long been known for Quintanilla’s connection to the Spanish Civil War and their “warnings on fascism”
“The two things I want are for people to read the book, and I want them to come and look at the art,” said Lenaghan.
At the end of the talk, Dr. Viviana Grieco professor of History, Latin America and Latinx studies, formally announced that the rumored informational podium will soon be a reality. Being placed near the mural for curious passersby to examine in their own time.
