Luchita Hurtado (1920-2020) was an artist whose choice of medium was as wide-ranging as her subject matter, working in acrylic, graphite, ink and watercolor, through Surrealism, feminism, Mexican muralism and environmentalism. And although her career spanned nearly eight decades, she only recently gained recognition, as a woman in her 90s.
Luchita Hurtado (1920-2020) was an artist whose choice of medium was as wide-ranging as her subject matter, working in acrylic, graphite, ink and watercolor, through Surrealism, feminism, Mexican muralism and environmentalism. And although her career spanned nearly eight decades, she only recently gained recognition, as a woman in her 90s.
History classes can get a bad wrap, and sometimes for good reason. When we were students, we couldn’t help wondering... where were all the ladies at? Why were so many incredible stories missing from the typical curriculum? Enter, Womanica. On this Wonder Media Network podcast we explore the lives of inspiring women in history you may not know about, but definitely should.
Every weekday, listeners explore the trials, tragedies, and triumphs of groundbreaking women throughout history who have dramatically shaped the world around us. In each 5 minute episode, we’ll dive into the story behind one woman listeners may or may not know–but definitely should. These diverse women from across space and time are grouped into easily accessible and engaging monthly themes like Educators, Villains, Indigenous Storytellers, Activists, and many more. Womanica is hosted by WMN co-founder and award-winning journalist Jenny Kaplan. The bite-sized episodes pack painstakingly researched content into fun, entertaining, and addictive daily adventures.
Womanica was created by Liz Kaplan and Jenny Kaplan, executive produced by Jenny Kaplan, and produced by Liz Smith, Grace Lynch, Maddy Foley, Brittany Martinez, Edie Allard, Lindsey Kratochwill, Sundus Hassan, Adesuwa Agbonile, Carmen Borca-Carrillo, Taylor Williamson, and Ale Tejada. Special thanks to Shira Atkins.
We are offering free ad space on Wonder Media Network shows to organizations working towards social justice. For more information, please email Jenny at pod@wondermedianetwork.com.
Investing Involves Risk. Consider the Funds' investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses carefully before investing. The prospectus and the statement of additional information include this and other relevant information about the Funds and are available by visiting EQULetf.com. Read the prospectus carefully before investing. IndexIQ® is an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of New York Life Investment Management Holdings LLC and serves as the advisor to the IndexIQ ETFs. ALPS Distributors, Inc. (ALPS) is the principal underwriter of the ETFs. NYLIFE Distributors LLC is a distributor of the ETFs. NYLIFE Distributors LLC is located at 30 Hudson Street, Jersey City, NJ 07302. ALPS Distributors, Inc. is not affiliated with NYLIFE Distributors LLC. NYLIFE Distributors LLC is a Member FINRA/SIPC.
Follow Wonder Media Network:
To take the Womanica listener survey, please visit: https://wondermedianetwork.com/survey
Hello! From Wonder Media Network, I’m Jenny Kaplan and this is Womanica.
This month, we’re highlighting visionaries.
Today’s visionary was an artist, whose choice of medium was as wide-ranging as her subject matter. She worked in acrylic, in graphite, in ink and in watercolor. She worked through Surrealism, feminism, Mexican muralism and environmentalism. And although her career spanned nearly eight decades, she only recently gained recognition, as a woman in her 90s.
Let’s talk about Luchita Hurtado.
Luchita Hurtado was born in 1920, in a city on the coast of Venezuela. When she was eight years old, Luchita immigrated to New York City. She, her mother, her sister and two of her aunts all shared an apartment.
After graduating from high school, where she’d studied fine art, Luchita began volunteering at La Prensa, a Spanish-language newspaper. There, she met Daniel del Solar, a much older journalist. And when Luchita was just 18, they married.
Daniel, was well-connected in New York’s artistic circles. Through him, Luchita befriended giants like the sculptor Isamu Noguchi, and Surrealist Roberto Matta.
But Luchita and Daniel’s union was short-lived. When their second son was still an infant, Daniel abandoned the family. Luchita, now the sole provider for the family, worked as a window dresser for department stores, and as a freelance fashion illustrator.
The friends she had made through Daniel remained, though, and Luchita circulated through New York’s top art galleries. She also continued making art, taking classes at the Art Students League. She met the Surrealist painter Wolfgang Paalen, and in the 1940s, Luchita and her two sons joined Wolfgang in Mexico City.
Luchita’s charisma and charm quickly endeared her to the local art community. She became friends with neighbors like Frida Kahlo, and traveled around the country, collecting art.
Painting and drawing remained a constant for Luchita, albeit a secret one. Her work at the time reflected pre-Columbian themes, mirroring the works she saw on her travels.
For a few years, Luchita’s life seemed to have found a rhythm. But then tragedy struck. One of her sons died from polio. Luchita wanted to have another child. Wolfgang did not. The family moved to California in 1949, but Luchita and Wolfgang separated soon after.
Around the same time, Luchita reconnected with the artist Lee Mullican. Lee was deeply involved in the Dynaton movement, an artistic wave named after the Greek word for “possible.” Luchita was drawn to Dynaton, too, and its themes of mysticism.
In 1951, Luchita moved to Los Angeles. She lived there for the rest of her life, raising two more children with Lee and supporting Lee’s career. Luchita would create her artwork at night, when the rest of the house was asleep. When asked about her practice, Luchita would later say that making art was “a need, like brushing your teeth.”
In the 1970s, as feminism became an international movement, Luchita began going to consciousness-raising circles. These groups were a foundational part of second-wave feminism, encouraging participants to share personal experiences and fostering a sense of community. Luchita work was featured in a few group exhibitions, but outside of her California community, she remained unknown.
That changed in 2015. Luchita’s husband, Lee Mullican had died in 1998. And his studio director was was organizing the artist’s archives. The studio director came across a collection of work he’d never seen before, marked with a simple L.H. He asked Luchita, who had gone by Luchita Mullican for decades, if she knew who’d created them. As the story goes, she simply replied, “Well, me.”
Luchita was, at this point, 95 years old. The next year, in 2016, Luchita had a gallery show. Her first in over 40 years. She was then featured by the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles. Hauser and Wirth, one of the world’s biggest galleries, hosted a solo show of Luchita’s work in New York. She was named to the Time 100 list, and received a Lifetime Achievement award from Americans for the Arts. And the whole time, even during her brief moment in the spotlight, Luchita kept creating.
“Artwork is a diary,” she said. “It’s really notes on your living, on your life, and you can’t help but put it down.”
Luchita died in 2020. She was 99 years old.
All month, we’re honoring incredible, artistic visionaries.
For more information and pictures of some of the work we’re talking about, find us on Facebook and Instagram @womanicapodcast.
Special thanks to Liz Kaplan, my favorite sister and co-creator. And another special thanks to Alesandra Tejeda who curated this month’s theme.