Isis Rodriguez

The artist that caught my attention was Isis Rodriguez. I was especially surprised when I found out she had been a stripper for ten years. Considering the fact that a job of stripper or exotic dancer does not usually come across as the most respectable job, I began to think how this artist contributed back to the Chicano/a community. From the presentation I really liked the photo called Be All That You Can Be, 1996, Acrylic Gouache, Ink of Bristol 15”x23”. Depicted are six female figures dressed in varied costumes posing very confidently and fiercely. “Women find a character that suits them best, that gives them respect and honor in a community and advances them toward self sufficiency,” Rodriguez says in her statement. What I understood from this painting was that women come from different backgrounds and regardless of what you wear or what you look like, you should not feel obligated to feel ashamed of what you do and/or hide from the public eye. So that’s what Rodriguez did, she gave a voice to those who are usually forgotten about—in this case: strippers. Rodriguez helped me see that strip clubs are a place of “profound humanity”. You can see the empowerment, vulnerability, the rewards, the consequences, the drugs, and the determination of everyday people. Essentially, a strip club can be seen as the epitome of humankind as they face everyday elements commonly found within a society.