Antonio Pujol
Mexico
(1913 – 1995)
Antonio Pujol Jiménez is considered one of the last great Mexican muralists. His work, which invites us to reflect on the importance of art as a tool for social transformation, remains relevant today.
Also known as "Abel" or "Pujo," he was born on April 13, 1913, in Chalco de Díaz Covarrubias, State of Mexico. His father, Antonio Pujol Martorell, was a farmer originally from Andratx, a small municipality in the Balearic Islands of Mallorca, Spain, and his mother, Mexican by birth, was named Dolores Jiménez.
In the late 1920s, Pujol moved to Mexico City, where he joined the National School of Fine Arts. There, he was deeply influenced by the Mexican muralist movement, led by artists such as Diego Rivera, David Alfaro Siqueiros, and José Clemente Orozco. His passion for art was complemented by his commitment to social justice.
He was a member of the League of Revolutionary Writers and Artists (LEAR) from 1934 to 1937. In 1936, he traveled to the United States to participate in the first Pan-American Congress of Artists against War and Fascism. He remained in the United States to organize an experimental art workshop. On February 6, 1937, he joined the International Brigades and served in the XV Brigade on the battleship Paris as part of the Commissariat to fight fascism in the Spanish Civil War. This experience deeply marked him and reaffirmed his conviction to use art as a tool for social change.
He returned to the United States on February 19, 1939, aboard the RMS Ausonia but was denied permission to disembark and was immediately deported back to Mexico. Upon his return, Pujol devoted himself fully to his artistic career. He became a prolific muralist, creating works that reflected the social and political reality of the country, including those made for the Abelardo Rodríguez Market. Beyond his role as a muralist, Pujol was also a prominent engraver and easel painter, collaborating in the movement of the People's Graphic Workshop (TGP) with his work.
In 1940, he moved to Montevideo, where he lived under the name Abel Beltrán Bastar and married Ada Canabe Nalerio. Finally, he returned to Mexico City in 1960.
Throughout his career, Pujol received numerous awards for his artistic work. In 1983, he was awarded the National Prize for Fine Arts. He passed away in Mexico City on September 22, 1995.