In this interview, Diego Rivera begins by defining art and explaining its importance to society. In his opinion, “art is better in a society where there are no class divisions.” According to him, “art is able to stimulate very specific physiological functions, in other words, gland secretions . . . .” Art is useful and is an essential human phenomenon (like nutrition), as well as being a kind of merchandise. Rivera explains that there is a price to be paid for “the amount of sensitivity, the amount of imagination, the amount of eventual genius, and the artist’s work over time that enables him to produce his œuvre.” Rivera had previously discussed these ideas in other essays, but in this interview he expands on them. He claims that art is a human language that can sometimes be used as a tool to help those in power, which in turn can lead to “misleading the masses.” He believes that revolutionary artists, like Giotto and Brueghel, are on the side of the people. The interview covers the integration of the visual arts, the struggle between capitalism and socialism and, finally, the concept of art as propaganda. Rivera mentions the great artists in history and their social contributions, and ends by discussing the integration of people of all nations as the forerunner to peace and progress.

This is the transcript of a tape-recorded interview conducted by the architect Ruth Rivera Marín, Diego Rivera’s daughter. Ruth’s question is as follows: "Dad, some of the architects at work and some of the younger artists would be interested to know your opinion concerning the artist’s role in society." There is no mention of the date of the interview but it was probably recorded in 1956, based on other writings by Diego Rivera (1886–1957) from that period. The recording lasts about an hour. The tape is part of the archive of the choreographer Guillermo Arriaga (it was given to him by the composer Mario Kuri). Arriaga then gave it to his niece, the cultural reporter Adriana Malvido, to be transcribed and published.  Unlike a written essay in which the writer can edit his words, this statement—which could be described as a "monologue"—allows us to appreciate Rivera’s mental agility, the coherence of his thoughts, his progression from one subject to another, and the number of topics he addresses.