Critical Analysis & Reasoning Skills Practice Questions: 12 | Critical Analysis & Reasoning Skills for MCAT PDF Download

Muralism has been a longstanding tradition in Mexico, potentially dating back to the time of the Aztecs who documented their history on the walls of their pyramids. The renowned artists David Alfara Siqueiros, Jose Clemente Orozco, and Diego Rivera gained fame by covering white walls with political art.

Siqueiros, born in Chihuahua, showed an interest in art from a young age. He organized a student strike at the age of 15 and later played a role in overthrowing the Mexican dictator Huerta during the revolution. Siqueiros became involved in organized labor, using his activism to advocate for workers' rights, which resulted in him facing extended periods of imprisonment. It was during these imprisonments that he produced some of his most exceptional artworks on canvas. In the 1930s, he traveled to Spain to join the anti-fascist forces. Siqueiros lived a life as both a soldier and an artist, and some considered him a dangerous and subversive figure.

Orozco, like Siqueiros, studied art as a young person and drew inspiration from the Mexican Revolution. One of Orozco's famous murals portrays the Holy Trinity as a worker, a soldier, and a peasant. Later, he turned his attention to the dehumanizing impact of large cities on their inhabitants. When not working on vast murals, Orozco created political cartoons.

Rivera, the third of the Mexican Social Realists, also known as "los tres grandes," remains the most well-known artist due to his charismatic personality. His life and paintings were influenced by his storytelling abilities, love affairs, radicalism, and complex relationship with his homeland. In his murals, Rivera incorporated Mexican folklore and cultural icons to educate working-class people about their own history.

In the Chicano neighborhoods of the southwestern United States, political muralism continues to thrive through graffiti. The invention of canned spray paint by Edward Seymour in 1949 provided aspiring artists with an accessible form of expression, leading to the rise of graffiti murals as an art form in the 1960s and 1970s. Initially considered outlaw art, this form of expression appealed to individuals like Siqueiros. Despite the artists' lack of formal training, some of the outlaw group managed to create visually stunning pieces while conveying political messages about poverty, injustice, diversity, and racism.

One remarkable aspect of this type of public art is its accessibility to all. There is no need to visit a museum to experience it; it exists on the walls of local shops, schools, clinics, and sports courts. It becomes part of the community, covered in posters for favorite bands or flyers seeking lost pets.

Although many graffiti artists were seen as nuisances and their art was often erased, some artists used graffiti as a stepping stone into the world of fine art. Today, modern murals in cities like Austin, San Antonio, Los Angeles, and Tucson, among others, stand as a testament to the enduring power of the Mexican muralist tradition as a medium for conveying political ideas.
Q.1. In the context of the passage, the word radicalism means:
(a) extremism
(b) intolerance
(c) discrimination
(d) fanaticism 

Correct Answer is Option (a)
 In the context of the passage, the word "radicalism" refers to a strong and often controversial or revolutionary political or social ideology. It is associated with advocating for significant and drastic changes to existing systems or structures. The passage mentions that Diego Rivera's life and paintings were influenced by his radicalism, which suggests his commitment to challenging the status quo and pushing for transformative ideas. Therefore, "extremism" is the most appropriate choice to describe the meaning of "radicalism" in this context.

Q.2. The author probably mentions Orozco’s political cartoons as a way of illustrating:
(a) the lack of seriousness in Orozco’s art
(b) how multitalented Orozco was
(c) Orozco’s intertwining of politics and art
(d) why Orozco’s work fell out of favor

Correct Answer is Option (c)
The mention of Orozco's political cartoons in the passage suggests that his art was closely intertwined with political themes and commentary. By creating political cartoons, Orozco expressed his views on social and political issues through a different medium. This illustrates his commitment to using art as a means to convey political messages and engage with contemporary issues. Therefore, choice C, Orozco's intertwining of politics and art, best captures the reason why the author mentions Orozco's political cartoons. 

Q.3. The author’s claim that Siqueiros might approve of Chicano graffiti is supported by:
(a) details about Siqueiros’s role in the Spanish Civil War
(b) the description of Siqueiros as an army captain
(c) the fact that Siqueiros moved from Mexico to Spain
(d) information about Siqueiros’s gangster past 

Correct Answer is Option (d)
The author's claim that Siqueiros might approve of Chicano graffiti is indeed supported by the information about Siqueiros's gangster past. The mention of Chicano graffiti as "outlaw art" and the statement that it "surely would have appealed to an outlaw such as Siqueiros" suggests a connection between Siqueiros's own rebellious nature and the nature of Chicano graffiti. Therefore, option D, information about Siqueiros's gangster past, supports the author's claim.

Q.4. According to this passage, graffiti would BEST be described as:
(a) an attractive way of making a political statement
(b) a pale imitation of the Mexican muralists’ work
(c) a nuisance that must be tolerated by urbanites
(d) a way to educate the masses in their own history 

Correct Answer is Option (a)
Based on the information provided in the passage, graffiti would be best described as an attractive way of making a political statement. The passage mentions that graffiti murals created by outlaw artists managed to create something beautiful while conveying political messages about poverty, injustice, diversity, and racism. The author also emphasizes that graffiti is a form of public art that is accessible to everyone. Therefore, option A, describing graffiti as an attractive way of making a political statement, aligns with the positive tone and content about graffiti in the passage. Thank you for clarifying and providing the reasoning behind the correct answer.

Q.5. In 1933, Diego Rivera was dismissed from his job painting a mural for Rockefeller Center and charged with willful propagandizing for including a portrait of Lenin in the center. How does this anecdote affect the author’s contention that Rivera’s goal was to educate the workers in their own history?
(a) It refutes it.
(b) It supports it.
(c) It supports the claim only if you believe that propaganda is educational.
(d) It refutes the claim only if you believe that Communism is part of Mexican history.

Correct Answer is Option (b)
The correct answer is (b) This question requires the application of new evidence to an existing argument. It also assumes background knowledge that is not explicitly stated in the passage. The inclusion of Lenin in one of Rivera's murals supports the idea that Rivera's intention was to educate the workers. This is because a significant aspect of Lenin's philosophy pertains to the aims and needs of the working class. The connection between Lenin and the working class reinforces the notion that Rivera's murals aimed to educate and inform workers about their own history. Choice C, which suggests that propaganda is educational, is not necessary to understand this connection. Choice D, which suggests that Communism is a part of Mexican history, actually supports the claim rather than refutes it. Therefore, the best answer is indeed choice (b)