ANXIETY
From the beginning, Rivera’s juxtaposition of the two ideologies causes anxiety in his patrons, but they ignore its implications until, weeks before the May 1 opening, Rivera paints out the large cap that has so far obscured the Leader’s face, and reveals a portrait of the bald-headed Lenin, staring the viewer straight in the face.
“Rivera paints scenes of Communist Activity, and John D. Jr. Foots Bill,” screams a World-Telegram headline.
Nelson Rockefeller, willing to put up with Red Square, writes Rivera a note: “While I was in the #1 building yesterday viewing the progress of your thrilling mural, I noticed that in the most recent portion of the painting you had included a portrait of Lenin.
“This piece is beautifully painted, but it seems to me that his portrait appearing in this mural might very easily offend a great many people…As much as I like to do so I am afraid we must ask you to substitute the face of some man where Lenin’s head now appears.”
Rivera responds by offering to replace the card-playing women under their venereal cloud with a group of American hereos—such as Lincoln, Nat Turner, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Wendell Phillips—that might restore the balance.
Two weeks later the lobby is sealed off. Rivera is asked to come down from the scaffolding, given a check for his full fee and asked to leave the scene with his assistants. Outside, another vision awaits Rivera:
“The streets surrounding the Center were patrolled by mounted policemen and the upper air was filled with the roar of airplanes flying round the skyscraper menaced by the portrait of Lenin…
“The proletariat reacted rapidly. Half an hour after we had evacuated the fort, a demonstration composed of the most belligerent section of the city’s workers arrived before the scene of battle. At once the mounted police made a show of their heroic and incomparable prowess, charging upon the demonstration and injuring the back of a seven-year old girl with a brutal blow of a club.
“Thus was won the glorious victory of Capitalism against the portrait of Lenin in the Battle of Rockefeller Center…”
It was the only Rivera mural ever to come alive.
Six months later the fresco is forever destroyed.
The Kremlin becomes elevator bank again.
-Rem Koolhaas, Delirious NY
