Zill, Madison ( Week 4).

  

According to Tomás Ybarra – Frausto in Chicano and Chicana Art: A Critical Anthology, “rasquachismo is an underdog perspective – a view from los de abajo. An attitude rooted in resourcefulness and adaptability yet mindful of stance and style” (Ybarra – Frausto 85). Rasquachismo involves creating something useful from something that is seemingly useless. One of the characteristics of rasquachismo is having limited resources and not throwing away (86). Resources are fixed, reused, and repurposed (86). My sister, Hailey, is an artist that embodies rasquachismo through her ability to create something from nothing. 

From when she was a little girl, Hailey always saw purpose in materials that others would deem useless or trash. She would make clothes for her dolls from torn up paper towels, snow globes from empty water bottles, and paint pictures using leftover food. Today, Hailey has continued to exhibit the quality of resourcefulness through her artwork. Hailey views all materials as a medium to create art. Hailey’s ability to create something from nothing is an example of rasquachismo. 

One of the projects that stands out to me the most is her sculpture entitled “Save the Elephants.” Hailey is passionate about animal advocacy and environmental protection. Many species of elephants are on the endangered species list. In her sculpture, Hailey used cardboard box scraps (something useless) and created an elephant. The sculpture is so special because it not only is aesthetically beautiful, but it also is constructed in a way that is in line with Hailey’s purpose. She constructed an animal advocacy sculpture in an environmentally friendly way. Hailey’s resourcefulness and rasquachismo created art that can advocate for the voiceless. Hailey embodies the resourcefulness element of rasquachismo and shows that even cardboard box scraps can be turned into something that has an important purpose. I cannot wait to see what she creates next. 

Works Cited

Ybarra Frausto, Tomás. “Rasquachismo: A Chicano Sensibility.” Chicano and Chicana Art: A Critical Anthology, edited by Jennifer A González et al., Duke University Press,Durham and London, 2019, pp. 85–90.