Reading Carmen Lomas Garza has so far been a pleasant read. It is nice seeing a new style of paintings compared to Yolanda Lopez which demonstrates the range of Chicana art. It is interesting how Garza chose not to have explicit meanings of social justice, oppression, and struggle in her work compared to the ones in Yolanda M. Lopez's reading. I felt these gave off a more heartwarming nostalgic feeling that can relate to many of our childhood memories and experiences. From the images I have been able to read about so far, “Figure 5. Carmen Lomas Harza, Cakewalk, 1987. Pg 9” was one I thought was the most intriguing.
Cakewalk is filled with so much information and details, it can take you a while to understand the whole image. The story behind the image is of a fundraiser for the American GI Forum of which Garza’s parents were apart. A cakewalk is a lottery-based game where one stands over a random number and if your number is called out you receive a cake. Everyone is generally having a good time. The painting is very detailed, in that many side stories are happening. There are children playing and running around, the parents are hosting snacks and beverages, the cakewalk is going on, and even a couple hiding away in the corner. Even at a young age, Garza drew herself drawing on the pavement. These community-based events are very common in Chicanx communities.
This reminds me of the many parties and events my neighbors would host in my apartment complex as well as the cultural events hosted by my community. Since most of my neighbors knew each other, everyone was invited and everyone had a great time. These parties would go on for hours and late into the night. Since Covid, many of these large gatherings and celebrations have shrunken or stopped completely. This reminded me of how important community is when it's taken away from you.
No comments:
Post a Comment