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Connections: Heroes

Security manager Jose Rivero contemplates the different types of hero archetypes, from comic book super heroes to religious figures.
5 min. watch

"I was born in Cuba, so I was bombarded by propaganda posters and photographs. Everywhere you'd go there would be posters of heroic people."

Security manager Jose Rivero contemplates the different types of hero archetypes, from comic book super heroes to religious figures.

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Art Mentioned

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Washington Crossing the Delaware, Emanuel Leutze German American, Oil on canvas, American
Washington Crossing the Delaware
Emanuel Leutze
1851
On the Southern Plains, Frederic Remington American, Oil on canvas, American
On the Southern Plains
Frederic Remington
1907
Shiva as Lord of Dance (Nataraja), Copper alloy, Indian (Tamil Nadu)
Shiva as Lord of Dance (Nataraja)
Indian (Tamil Nadu)
ca. 11th century
Buddha, probably Amitabha , Dry lacquer with polychrome pigment and gilding, China

Buddha, probably Amitabha

China
early 7th century
Illustrated Legends of the Kitano Tenjin Shrine (Kitano Tenjin engi emaki), Set of five handscrolls; ink, color, and cut gold leaf (kirikane) on paper, Japan
Illustrated Legends of the Kitano Tenjin Shrine (Kitano Tenjin engi emaki)
Japan
late 13th century
Portrait of a Warrior, Unidentified artist Japanese, late 16th century, Hanging scroll; ink and color on silk, Japan
Portrait of a Warrior
Unidentified artist
late 16th century
Perseus with the Head of Medusa, Antonio Canova Italian, Marble, Italian, Rome
Perseus with the Head of Medusa
Antonio Canova
Count Jan and Countess Valeria Tarnowski
1804–6
Terracotta column-krater (bowl for mixing wine and water), Group of Boston 00.348, Terracotta, Greek, South Italian, Apulian
Terracotta column-krater (bowl for mixing wine and water)
Group of Boston 00.348
ca. 360–350 BCE
Cinema, Walker Evans American, Gelatin silver print
Cinema
Walker Evans
1933, printed ca. 1970
Coal Dock Workers, Havana, Walker Evans American, Gelatin silver print
Coal Dock Workers, Havana
Walker Evans
1933
Versailles, France, Eugène Atget French, Albumen silver print from glass negative
Versailles, France
Eugène Atget
1923
[Diego Rivera's Fresco "In the Trenches," Ministry of Education, Mexico City], Tina Modotti Italian, Gelatin silver print with applied color
[Diego Rivera's Fresco "In the Trenches," Ministry of Education, Mexico City]
Tina Modotti
Diego Rivera
1924–28
[National Opera House, Havana, Cuba], Walker Evans American, Film negative
[National Opera House, Havana, Cuba]
Walker Evans
1933
[People Waiting for Food Rations, Havana], Walker Evans American, Film negative
[People Waiting for Food Rations, Havana]
Walker Evans
1933
Christ Crowned with Thorns, Antonello da Messina (Antonello di Giovanni d'Antonio) Italian, Oil, possibly over tempera, on wood
Christ Crowned with Thorns
Antonello da Messina (Antonello di Giovanni d'Antonio)
The Death of Socrates, Jacques Louis David French, Oil on canvas
The Death of Socrates
Jacques Louis David
1787
The Denial of Saint Peter, Caravaggio (Michelangelo Merisi) Italian, Oil on canvas
The Denial of Saint Peter
Caravaggio (Michelangelo Merisi)
1610
The Baptism of Christ, Jacopo Bassano (Jacopo da Ponte) Italian, Oil on canvas
The Baptism of Christ
Jacopo Bassano (Jacopo da Ponte)
ca. 1590
Let a Thousand Flowers Bloom, Anselm Kiefer German, Gouache, sand, ash and charcoal on two torn and pasted photographs
Let a Thousand Flowers Bloom
Anselm Kiefer
2000