Xavier Viramontes, Boycott Grapes, Support the United Farm Workers Union, 1973, offset lithograph, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Tomás Ybarra-Frausto © 1973, Xavier Viramontes
The history of the farmworker is rife with strike after strike endured to secure better wages and working conditions for himself and fellow laborer. A significant percentage of these labors have and continue to be Mexican. Xavier Viramontes visually portrays the call to war fought by Mexican farmworkers for fair wages in his poster for the United Farm Workers Union entitled, Boycott Grapes. The main image of an indigenous Central American wearing, what looks like, native war costume in muted primary colors, is staring straight into the eyes of the viewer. His brown brow is furrowed and face serious. His golden headdress fans out like a Native American image of the sun. In his clenched fist, decorated with native bracelets, are grapes being squeezed until the juice flows through his fingers and down through the words, "Boycott Grapes," written in large, yellow block letters. On either side of the word "grapes," is a simple block image in black of an eagle within a white circle. Across the bottom of the poster the words "support the United Farmworkers Union" are in capital letters.
The most striking part of this poster is the native Mexican with his penetrating eyes and seriously pursed lips. His image stirs feelings of national unity within the Mexican farming community, tying them together by their common bond of nationality. The shining headdress implies that it is the time of the Mexican people to shine forth. The grapes held within his clenched fists, are crushed to the point of oozing juice through his fingers, making it look like blood is flowing down. This grape "blood," flowing through his fingers and down through the word "boycott" suggest a call to war between the Mexicans and the farmers they work for because to boycott the grape harvest would mean waging a war for the Mexican farmworkers rights. The small black eagles being symbols of Mexico, are a simple nod to national pride.
This poster, meant to draw Mexican farmworkers into the United Farmworker's Union's cause, does a striking job at portraying the anger and frustration felt within the Mexican community at the unfair wages and working conditions forced upon them.
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