Laura Alvarez

Laura Alvarez is an artist based in Los Angeles whose work merges the history and stories of her Mother and Father. Her mother worked as a maid in the United States after moving from Mexico, while her Father worked for the U.S. government doing classified work after World War Two. These two histories merged to create the "Double Agent Sirvienta," who is a character Alvarez has developed for more than two decades. The "Double Agent Sirvienta" or "DAS" is a secret agent who infiltrates the homes of the rich and powerful as a maid in order to access information that will save the world. The image I chose is, "Escapate." I believe this image perfectly captures who the DAS is: active, powerful, and sure of herself. Since there is no one else in the picture, we understand that she is self-reliant and bold, a radical pairing for any young woman. The re-appropriation of the Maid's uniform is also important in this picture: instead of being passive and subservient, she has agency over her own goals, as many maids or service workers do, a fact that is often overlooked. I truly enjoyed having Laura in our class and admired the longevity of her vision and work ethic - Thank you for coming

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