Miguel Álvarez Acosta

Miguel Alvarez Acosta Bellas Artes General Director from 1954 to 1958 Diffuser of art and promoter of various educational projects, Miguel Álvarez Acosta took a radical turn in promoting culture in Mexico. Born in San Luis Potosí in 1907. He studied and served as a sociology teacher , politics, economy and drawing. He was a violinist in the Orchestra of the Normal School and a member school choirs. At the same time he studied law, holding various positions in his state. In 1935 he published his book of poetry "Romances" and in 1938 President Lázaro Cárdenas appointed him interim governor of San Luis Potosi. Diffuser of art and promoter of various educational projects, Miguel Álvarez Acosta took a radical turn in promoting culture in Mexico. He founded the Circle of Literary Studies of San Antonio, Texas, and published the volumes Hidalgo, a biographical condensation, Home Inside, Colloquio de Cumbres, and Frontera Plural. Installed in Mexico City, in 1947 he inaugurated, together with Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo, the Don Quijote Art Gallery. In 1954 he was appointed director of the INBA by President Adolfo Ruiz Cortines. In 1957 he received the National Novel Prize for his work "Muro Blanco en Roca Negra", which was adapted by the filmmaker Luis Buñuel for his film "El Rio y la muerte". During his tenure at INBA he founded the Revista de Bellas Artes and the Escuela Superior de Artes Aplicadas in La Ciudadela. He promoted the opening of the El Granero and Del Bosque theaters (today Julio Castillo) and the INBA Dance and Theater Schools. Upon leaving office, he exercised intense diplomatic activity and cultivated journalism. Miguel Álvarez Acosta died on March 24, 1996. Miguel Alvarez Acosta arrived to Palacio Nacional de Bellas Artes as a general director in 1954 after the dismissal of the current director Andres Iduarte Foucher. Who was dismissed for allowing a communist flag to be placed on his coffin at Frida Khalo's funeral. This fact was highly criticized by society in general and as a consequence Iduarte Foucher had to present his resignation. At that time Miguel Alvarez Acosta was appointed as the new director of Fine Arts by President Adolfo Ruiz Cortines. His literary works drew the attention of many artists and film directors such as Luis Buñuel who adapted his book "White Wall in Black Rock" (which received the National Novel Prize), to make the film "El Río y la Muerte ". He has several prizes and literary recognition such as the Mexico City Prize in 1948 for his work Xilitla, the Buenos Aires International Prize in 1950, and his work Muro Blanco en Roca Negra, was awarded by the newspaper El Nacional in 1951 . He had friendship with many renowned artists at the time such as the musician Pablo Casals, Henry Szeryng, Luis Alfaro Siqueiros, Alejandro Jodorowsky, and Oswaldo Guayasamin among many other artists, politicians. His work as Director of Fine Arts was extremely important and a watershed for the internationalization of Mexican culture throughout the world. He achieved extensive tours in which plays, dance acts, classical and avant-garde, music concerts, He was considered as Vanguadrist and visionary Director for opening the doors to many artists with a lot of talent, creating spaces for dissemination and links with other countries. Many of these artists are now internationally recognized thanks to the support that existed at that time for the arts and culture in general.