Carlos Cortez (August 13, 1923 – January 19, 2005) was a postwar and contemporary artist who was also a

poet A poet is a person who studies and creates poetry. Poets may describe themselves as such or be described as such by others. A poet may simply be the creator (thought, thinker, songwriter, writer, or author) who creates (composes) poems (oral t ...

printmaker Printmaking is the process of creating artworks by printing, normally on paper, but also on fabric, wood, metal, and other surfaces. "Traditional printmaking" normally covers only the process of creating prints using a hand processed technique ...

graphic artist A graphic designer is a practitioner who follows the discipline of graphic design, either within companies or organizations or independently. They are professionals in design and visual communication, with their primary focus on transforming l ...

photographer A photographer (the Greek φῶς (''phos''), meaning "light", and γραφή (''graphê''), meaning "drawing, writing", together meaning "drawing with light") is a person who uses a camera to make photographs. Duties and types of photograp ...

songwriter A songwriter is a person who creates musical compositions or writes lyrics for songs, or both. The writer of the music for a song can be called a composer, although this term tends to be used mainly in the classical music genre and film scoring. ...

editor Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, or cinematic material used by a person or an entity to convey a message or information. The editing process can involve correction, condensation, organization, a ...

, muralist, and

political activist A political movement is a collective attempt by a group of people to change government policy or social values. Political movements are usually in opposition to an element of the status quo, and are often associated with a certain ideology. Some ...

. He was a member of the

Industrial Workers of the World The Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), whose members are nicknamed "Wobblies", is an international labor union founded in Chicago, United States in 1905. The nickname's origin is uncertain. Its ideology combines general unionism with indu ...

. Cortez had an extraordinary life with active political parents who taught him about pacifism and socialism. He followed his parents' path and became active in the IWW.

Early years

Carlos Alfredo Cortez was born in

Milwaukee, Wisconsin Milwaukee is the List of cities in Wisconsin, most populous city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, it is the List of United States cities by population, 31st-most populous city in the United States ...

, on August 13, 1923. He is the son of

socialist Socialism is an economic ideology, economic and political philosophy encompassing diverse Economic system, economic and social systems characterised by social ownership of the means of production, as opposed to private ownership. It describes ...

parents Alfredo Cortez and Augusta Ungerecht.Miller, A. “n.d.” Fellow Worker Carlos Cortez Inducted into Chicago Literary Hall of Fame. Retrieved September 15, 2023, http://andrew-miller.com/blog/2021/carlos-cortez-full-article/ Carlos was raised in a

multicultural Multiculturalism is the coexistence of multiple cultures. The word is used in sociology, in political philosophy, and colloquially. In sociology and everyday usage, it is usually a synonym for ''ethnic'' or cultural pluralism in which various e ...

, highly talented, and supportive home. Carlo’s father, Alfredo, was a

Yaqui The Yaqui, Hiaki, or Yoeme, are an Indigenous people of Mexico and Native Americans in the United States, Native American tribe, who speak the Yaqui language, a Uto-Aztecan language. Their primary homelands are in Río Yaqui valley in the no ...

, Mexican, who spoke five languages but sang in seven.Sasaki, F. (2019) Inductee: Carlos Cortez. Retrieved September 15, 2023, https://chicagoliteraryhof.org/inductees/profile/carlos-cortez Alfredo worked as a construction worker, was a union organizer, and was a wobbly member of the

.Torres, R., & Torres, P. (n.d.). Search. National Museum of Mexican Art, Pilsen, Chicago. https://nationalmuseumofmexicanart.org/events/carlos-cortez-100-anos Carlos’s mother, Augusta was a socialist pacifist of

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...

descent, spoke

, and was born in

Racine, Wisconsin Racine ( ) is a city in Racine County, Wisconsin, United States, and its county seat. It is located on the shore of Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Root River (Wisconsin), Root River, south of Milwaukee and north of Chicago. It is the List ...

. She worked as a domestic worker and also became a wobbly member of the IWW. Alfredo and Augusta married in 1923.Conatz, J. (2012) An Obituary for long-time IWW member and artist Carlos Cortez. Retrieved September 15, 2023, https://libcom.org/article/cortez-carlos-1923-2005 The Cortez family was not wealthy, and they were not religious; as most people were in their Milwaukee neighborhood, they were a part of the working class. From an early age, Cortez experienced racism and discrimination because of his parents' political beliefs and because his father was a dark-skinned Mexican. Although his father Alfredo did not finish elementary school, he was academically gifted. When Cortez was young, his mother spoke a children's version of

to him, referred to as Kinder-Deutsch. At the school he attended in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, the students were predominantly

and Mexican. Cortez was often teased by both groups of children because, due to his

Native Native may refer to: People * '' Jus sanguinis'', nationality by blood * '' Jus soli'', nationality by location of birth * Indigenous peoples, peoples with a set of specific rights based on their historical ties to a particular territory ** Nat ...

, and Mexican ancestry, he felt as if he did not belong. Cortez's parents were supportive and helped him cope with the racism and discrimination he experienced growing up. His family lived in a predominantly immigrant community, and he learned to speak different languages from his neighbors and his mother. During this time, he chose to identify with his

and Mexican cultures and used the experiences he went through to inspire his artistic mind. He identified as Latino and Native American but focused a lot of his works on his

and Mexican cultures and supported many events related to his self-identification. In the late 1970s, Cortez was at a ceremony at Casa Aztlan and met with a

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many countries in the Americas **Spanish cuisine **Spanish history **Spanish culture ...

and

Nahuatl Nahuatl ( ; ), Aztec, or Mexicano is a language or, by some definitions, a group of languages of the Uto-Aztecan language family. Varieties of Nahuatl are spoken by about Nahuas, most of whom live mainly in Central Mexico and have smaller popul ...

-speaking Indian who had given him the spirit nickname of Koyokuikatl which meant "singing Coyote".Macarena-Avila, J. (2018) In Memoriam: Carlos Koyokuitkatl Cortez. Retrieved September 15/2023, https://areachicagoarchive.wordpress.com/2018/03/10/in-memoriam-carlos-koyokuikatl-cortez/ Cortez enjoyed painting, sketching, and drawing. He chose not to attend a traditional college but instead took classes at the Layton Art Gallery. To support his artistic talent, he took on normal jobs working as a teacher, factory worker, salesman, writer, Illustrator editor, and construction.Rosemont, F. (2005) Carlos Cortez. Fifth Estate #368-369. Retrieved September 15, 2023, https://www.fifthestate.org/archive/368-369-spring-summer-2005/carlos-cortez/ His father, Alfredo Cortez, used his influence to assist him in obtaining a job in construction. Another part of Cortez's life that made him happy was his wife, Mariana Drogitis, whom he met in 1957 when she visited

Milwaukee Milwaukee is the List of cities in Wisconsin, most populous city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, it is the List of United States cities by population, 31st-most populous city in the United States ...

. She was originally from

Patras, Greece Patras (; ; Katharevousa and ; ) is Greece's List of cities in Greece, third-largest city and the regional capital and largest city of Western Greece, in the northern Peloponnese, west of Athens. The city is built at the foot of Mount Panachaiko ...

Activism

Cortez's father encouraged Cortez to join his first political organization, and he joined the Young People's Socialist League (YPSL). As a child, his parents left a big impression on him. Cortez expressed his opposition to injustices, the government, and the world's ecological issues through artistic mediums. His choice of literary weapons were his prolific poetry, corridos,

hymns A hymn is a type of song, and partially synonymous with devotional song, specifically written for the purpose of adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification. The word ''hymn'' ...

, and haikus complimented by his notable wood arts, engravings, and political cartoons. Cortez specialized in story-telling poetry, describing tales of working people's daily realities. These stories eventually made it into his column for the Industrial Worker of the World called "The Left Side". He was a member of the IWW for almost 60 years.Cumpian, C. (2005) Carlos Cortez, Legend. Retrieved September 15, 2023, https://www.derivativeworks.com/2005/01/carlos_cortez_l.html Cortez was also a labor organizer with the IWW and invested in working with fellow artisans. He was a pacifist like his mother, Augusta. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

Cortez was sent to prison at the

Federal Correctional Institution, Sandstone The Federal Correctional Institution, Sandstone (FCI Sandstone) is a low-security United States federal prison for male offenders in Sandstone, Minnesota. It is operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BoP), a division of the United States Unite ...

Minnesota Minnesota ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Upper Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario to the north and east and by the U.S. states of Wisconsin to the east, Iowa to the so ...

for 2 years for refusing to be drafted because it went against his

pacifist Pacifism is the opposition to war or violence. The word ''pacifism'' was coined by the French peace campaigner Émile Arnaud and adopted by other peace activists at the tenth Universal Peace Congress in Glasgow in 1901. A related term is ''a ...

views. He believed that there was no nation worth fighting for; the struggle worth fighting for was the working class. While in prison, he took the time to do a lot of reading and speak with people of different ethnicities. He investigated the ways in which art may spur social change, highlight marginalized groups, honor indigenous cultures, and advance peace—all ideas that had influenced Mr. Cortez to produce art. By portraying images of labor disputes and protests and ignoring historical events and figures, Cortez's life's work elevated the working class, marginalized communities, and social battles.

Artistic career

Cortez was in elementary school when he taught himself to turn his drawings into blocks of new medium wood and

linoleum Linoleum is a floor covering made from materials such as solidified linseed oil (linoxyn), Pine Resin, pine resin, ground Cork (material), cork dust, sawdust, and mineral fillers such as calcium carbonate, most commonly on a Hessian fabric, hes ...

cut blocks to express labor-oriented art along with his writings. This allowed for easier printing of multiple copies of his work. In his artistic career, he used his printing press, Gato Negro, to spread themes of justice, activism, and solidarity. Cortez frequently used his poems to bring attention to, elicit discussion from, and motivate action on matters of oppression and inequality. Cortez believed that art should have a purpose, and that purpose almost always involved the emancipation of the working class. His art expressed his activism of labor and civil rights as well as the support of hard working men and women from miners to farm workers. Carlos's art helped to bring focus on the struggles of the Mexican and Native people and to fight tyranny. His printmaking inspiration came from Jose Guadalupe Posada and from German artist Kathe Kollwitz.Brachear, A. M. (2005) Obituary – Fellow Worker Carlos Cortez (1923-2005). Chicago Tribune. Retrieved September 15, 2023, https://archive.iww.org/history/biography/CarlosCortez/ His works as a poet, muralist, and graphic designer were depictions of issues facing the average person and are displayed in local galleries and the

Smithsonian Institution The Smithsonian Institution ( ), or simply the Smithsonian, is a group of museums, Education center, education and Research institute, research centers, created by the Federal government of the United States, U.S. government "for the increase a ...

Collections of art

At the

National Museum of Mexican Art The National Museum of Mexican Art (NMMA) is a museum featuring Mexico, Mexican and Chicano art and culture. It is located in Harrison Park in the Lower West Side, Chicago, Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois, Chicago, Illinois. The museum ...

there are various collections on display of Cortez's work. Several political

linocut Linocut, also known as lino print, lino printing or linoleum art, is a printmaking technique, a variant of relief printing in which a sheet of linoleum (sometimes mounted on a wooden block) is used for a relief printing, relief surface. A design i ...

designs as early as 1963 through early 2000's. Carlos Cortez's endowment to Chicago's Mexican Fine Arts Center Museum was to house more than 100 wood and linoleum printing blocks and if the value of his artwork were to increase, the blocks were to be utilized to manufacture more in order to bring the price down to make them available to art enthusiasts. Cortez has had his various artwork and writings displayed in

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

and the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

in various museums, exhibitions, and events. The following are just a few of the places where his artistic work has been featured and honored: *

Museum of Modern Art The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is an art museum located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, on 53rd Street (Manhattan), 53rd Street between Fifth Avenue, Fifth and Sixth Avenues. MoMA's collection spans the late 19th century to the present, a ...

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

. * National Museum of American Art in

Washington D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...

. * Elmhurst Art Museum in

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash River, Wabash and Ohio River, Ohio rivers to its ...

. * National Museum of Mexican Art in Illinois. * DePaul of Modern Art in New York City.

Literary works

* Cortez, C. (1990) This book is dedicated to my parents, - libcom.org. (n.d.). https://files.libcom.org/files/Crystal-gazing%20the%20amber%20fluid%20and%20other%20Wobbly%20poems.pdf * Cortez, C. (1992). ''De Kansas a Califas & Back to Chicago''. March/Abrazo Press. * Cortés, C. (1997). ''Where are the voices? & other Wobbly poems'' (First edition.). C.H. Kerr Pub. Co.. * Cortez, C. (1999). ''Carlos Cortez Exposición''. Fundación de Estudios Libertarios Anselmo Lorenzo. * Cortez, C. (2002). ''Carlos Cortéz Koyokuikatl: Soapbox artist & poet''. Mexican Fine Arts Center Museum. * Cortez, C. (2002b). ''Making Love with our eyes''. Trafford. * Cortez, C. (2002c). ''Viva Posada!: A salute to the great printmaker of the Mexican Revolution''. Charles H. Kerr publ. * Cortez, C., Cumpián, C., Ranney, D. C., Sasaki, F., & Arceo-Frutos, R. H. (2023). ''Coyote’s song: Collected Poetry and Selected Art''. Charles H. Kerr Publishing Company.

Early years

Activism

Artistic career

Collections of art

Literary works

References

Further reading