Carmen Lomas Garza Week 6

One of the pieces that stood out to me was that from Carmen Lomas Garza earlier work, a piece titled, Luna Nene, which is an etching made primarily in black. This piece is presented in the chapter titled “Politics and Life in Tejas: From Tejana to Chicana”. In this particular chapter the author introduces the reader into the political times of the artist’s childhood in Kingsville, Texas and the influences it had on her artwork. The piece in question in my opinion embodies the philosophy that was developed and required by the artist to come to terms with the discrimination and alienation that the Mexican American community suffers through exclusion and  marginalization by the dominant Anglo society. The etching portrays an unborn child in the womb that is seen through a moon like cutout. Surrounding this view into the womb is a dark mass that makes it appear as if the nene, (which means baby in Español), is floating suspended in a solitary space, yet its pink skin draws us back to the body of the mother as the pink is repeated into what can be depicted as the mothers flesh. In this piece I believe that Garza uses this technique of melding in the pink color to show that the child is within and not in the desolate sky, to create a connection of belonging. As if to state that we are not alone and that we belong since the start of conception. The dark mass is so dense that the child is enveloped, encased in the element. Whereas the element is the supportive composition of a system of blood that can easily represent the rich diversity that will be offered and taught to this child once introduce to the world. In addition I further draw from this piece that the moon like window is to validate the dreams of those who refuse to let discriminating practices from realizing their true identities’ and goals. A creation of a window that allows us to dream a future of continued tradition and belonging.