Untitled 

Arturo Rivera drew this untitled work in graphite, pastel, and charcoal, likely in the late 20th or early 21st century. In it we see a naked woman with a snake, a bat, and an apple. The artist seems to be playing with the story of the biblical Eve, but we can consider the cultural associations of his imagery. Snakes and bats can be found in many Mesoamerican myths; in some, the bat is a symbol of death and rebirth and the snake is a representation of the earth and fertility. Rivera also incorporates rigid architectural elements and uses them to frame and contain organic shapes. Rivera spent time living and working in both Mexico and New York City. Perhaps his work addresses the tension between the cultural expectations of those two places, in an era when the art world itself was struggling to be more inclusive of art and artists from outside Europe. To explore Rivera's world, look into the art market of the late 20th century and the rise of interest in what was once called 'primitive art'.