Week 10 Reflection

Before enrolling in this class I knew I loved art. I had taken several art history classes in community college and visited a couple of museums here in LA. I was always fond of Renaissance art and never appreciated modern art, especially Chicana art. Every time I would see work done by a Chicana/o artist I felt that they were nowhere near as good as the likes of Caravaggio or Jan Van Eyck. I mainly looked at the content on the surface, never once thinking about the meaning. When I enrolled I thought I would not like learning about art I felt wasn't good. However, as the weeks progressed and as we learned about each artist, their work, and their motivation, I had grown to appreciate that art. I eventually stopped comparing these artists to the artists of the Renaissance because I learned that art I like should not be the standard at which I judge all other works. Some of the styles and art in this class I didn't find aesthetically pleasing, but I appreciated the meaning and the dedication that artist had. Chicana art is special because it can be used as a protest, a lesson, a sharing of a memory, and a variety of other things. 

The artist I presented on, Sandra de La Loza, had some pretty interesting works. If I had never researched her I wouldn't know about the history, specifically queer history, my hometown holds. Now when I pass by those buildings like Klub Fantasy, I imagine what one night was like. I also learned about the history behind La Virgen de Guadalupe who has been a prominent figure in my neighborhood and the beginning of my life. I truly am grateful for having learned such amazing things in this class and I thank professor Lopez Gaspar De Alba for having taught us.