Carmen Lopez

Carmen Lomas is a Chicana native artist and shows the importance of culture in her paintings. She makes sure to express the culture that was attempted to be taken away due to Spanish colonization. For example, White elites control the social and economic hierarchy as marginalized groups are often exploited and ignored regarding social and economic needs. In order to have control, there has to be those of whom are of a lower status. The success of the suppressors is based off of keeping the oppressed in their state. Whiteness has been compared to dominance within relationships, communities, business, etc. so success is automatically distinguished. Colonialism eventually went on a rise therefore, American society has been conditioned and accustomed to view the world in comparisons due to hierarchy therefore, Americans define success and superiority with economic and social status.

Carmen Lomas represents beauty and unity within the Mexican community although the Mexican community did experience hardships. For example, her painting are usually a family gathering consisted of them doing fun activities like: eating, dancing, or playing games as a unit. I feel as though her paintings represents a unity that is not threatened by Whiteness in society. Instead of Whiteness being a “norm”, or challenging the notion of what a hierarchy is.