Carmen Lomas Garza

In Carmen Lomas Garza's Quincenera, we see the traditional Mexican rite of passage for females. Since many of Garza's paintings deal with family as a theme, this painting is no exception. Other than a wedding, a girl's quincenera is probably the second most important moment in her life where family from all over joins together. For me, the most notable aspect of the painting is the obvious color choice of the damas' dresses. They are very emblematic of a quincenera in the vibrant fushia tone dress. Most quincenera dresses tend to be very "out there", fun, and bold in color. A second important feature that I see in the painting is the variance in the characters. In looking at each group of people or person in the painting, you get the impression that each one tells a different story. There is a girl in the middle, running barefoot, almost as if she forgot something and she must get it before she has to get ready to get inside the church. In the upper, right corner, there is a group of boys who are relaxing, "chilling" in a way that might indicate that they might be conversating about a girl. I appreciate the realism behind this painting because it almost feels like a photograph. It feels like this painting could be a part of the photo album that the photographer puts together for the event. Overall, not only is this a memory of Garza, but also a memory that most of us can recall because of how important this rite of passage is for Mexican and Latino families.