I really enjoyed everyone’s presentations for week 8! It was hard to pick only one artist when all of them were so talented & unique. One artist that really stood out to me was Ruby Chacon, as presented by Lilibeth Chavez. Ruby Chacon’s murals are incredibly detailed and full of symbolism celebrating the Chicanx experience & life in Utah. It was interesting to learn about how Ruby wanted to divert from traditional depictions of Utah & humanize people in her work. So much art that I’ve seen centered around Utah depicts it as a sort of barren landscape (beautiful, nonetheless) but doesn’t typically include actual people, when in reality, Utah has a vibrant culture like the rest of the southwest. I loved the mural “Cihuacoatl and Golden Rule”. It’s a 15’x30’ mural depicting Cihuacoatl, a Mexica goddess of fertility and childbirth, surrounded by modern people each engaging in different activities. We see some folks working the land, some musicians, families, etc. The land is bountiful, and everyone is engaging in the “golden rule”; treating others as you yourself would want to be treated. It’s a beautiful, colorful painting. One of my favorite things that Lilibeth told us was about how Ruby Chacon discussed growing up with limited resources and how she wanted to make her work accessible to everyone, which is why she enjoys displaying her art in public spaces where everyone can see. I really appreciate that as someone who is passionate about accessibility. I also grew up working class and I remember being awe-stricken by murals I’d see as a child--public art matters. Thanks for your presentation, Lilibeth!
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