Carmen Lomas Garza’s Barbacoa para Cumpleaños (1993) depicts a familial gathering for a loved one’s birthday party. The overall busy scene itself is filled with joy and love, as it encompasses an entire family of thirty-three individuals plus a dog. It appears that the family is located in a beautiful, big backyard; two kids playing alongside the fire and two men are tending the grill with various meats cooking and a woman is assisting with the food. A group of three are sitting at the table surrounding a sheet cake with “feliz cumpleaños” written directly across. Two young lovers are against the tree while another man is on the other side adjusting the rope attached to the piñata that is being hit by a young girl. The rest of the family is seen to be surrounding the piñata scene in a semicircle. The image itself is intended to celebrate community and is successful through Garza’s keen attention to detail. The papel picado and piñata are indicative of the artist’s culture and are visually present throughout her artwork. Traditionally, papel picado is used in decorative ways and typically symbolizes the wind and the fragility of life as well. One can even argue that this image itself can be a visual altar/ofrenda meant to honor a past memory, it being her younger sister’s birthday party. This can be seen through the visual representation of all elements within the scene; fire which is represented through both the grill and open fire, earth through the trees and visible foods, air through the papel picado and even smoke, and water that is represented through the drinks on the table. Her ability to individualize and further depict human behavior in such detail within her artwork is amazing and a reason for her success within Chicana art.
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