Carmen Lomas Garza

Carmen Lomas Garza's paintings tell the stories of the Chicanx community in a colorful manner with important underlying messages. I am drawn to her art because of the spiritual components she incorporates and Indigenous narratives. Garza's art is also very political since she shares the parts of Chicanx hxstory that reveals the evils of colonialism, while still centering the fact that we are still here vibrant and thriving.

Burning of the Codices 2002

                                                   

In the piece entitled Burning of the Codices (2002), Garza shows us the way the spaniards burnt the knowledge of our peoples. This is something I think about sometimes when I'm sitting in the UCLA libraries and I see all the books we have but all the books that are lost forever. Our knowledge was a big threat to the spanish and in many ways continues to be a threat. Although the goal of colonization was to rid us of our knowledge, yet that was not possible.

Earache Treatment 1989

Curandera (Faith Healer) 1989

In the pieces entitled, Earache Treatment (1989) and Curandera (1989) we see that Indigenous forms of healing were preserved and continue to be practiced in Chicanx Indigenous communities. The vibrant colors Garza uses shows the strength of our people. The colors remind me that no matter what we have been through our world is still filled with vibrancy because we know who we come from. The Indigenous healing practices shown in the art pieces remind me of my abuelitas who both were Indigenous Healers and Parteras. When I was a child they would give me limpias and give me home remedies if I got sick. I did not understand back then what they were doing or the importance of it. I am grateful that they are still here to pass on the knowledge to me because the future of the Chicanx community depends on us remembering who we are. Garza's art allows for conversations to happen around Indigeneity.