Absolutely Chicana - Judy Baca

Absolutely Chicana, 2009. 9 color 24″x36″ Serigraph, by Judy Baca is a "portrait of the artist." 




I think that this piece interesting, not only because the image looks plain cool, but because of the seemingly ambivalent feel that the Judy Baca portrays. 

Judy painted this image from a photo of herself. I chose this image because I feel like it also portrays a sort of power in the sense that she looks relaxed and confident. (Even though smoking is horrid.) Health issues aside, the imagery shines a light on Judy as an individual. She is her own subject, and her portrait is aesthetically pleasant. 

There is also simplicity, in that it is just her alone. There is no other iconography or directly implied message she seems to be trying to send. Aside from the fact that she is a Chicana, and she is "done up" with hair and make-up, she is simply "being." 

This differs from many images that we have seen in class where there is underlying political or social messages. 

A similarity between this and other images seen before in class are that it is a self-portrait, to be seen by everyone. It is an image of a Chicana to be put in front of a large audience and to be part of mainstream art culture. 

This piece also reminds me of Yolanda Lopez’s work in putting women direct and center in artwork. Yolanda used images of herself, as well as her mother and grandmother in the focus of Chicana imagery.