maxwell, charlina week 7

 This essay by Claudia Zapata explores the effects of graphics created by chicana artists in the digital age. These new methods of digital creating had many implications for chicana artists, and artists worldwide. A main problem of creating has always been accessibility to the creation, and the rising popularity of digital forms of media had effective ways of making art more accessible. This also somewhat solves the problem of situating chicana art within the cultural narratives of what we consider to be fine art in america. Which is largely based on white, straight artists of a certain educational pedigree taking up most of the landscape. The digital age has opened up the discourse in many ways because everything online is more visible to the general public than pieces and exhibitions housed in museums that can only be viewed and appreciated by a select few privileged eyes. Even then what is chosen as high art is filtered through the lens of those with the power to make that decision. Online it is all up to the people what is good art that has meaning, relation, and relevance, this really evens the playing field. In this essay it is clear that art too, like the government, the school system, the economy, is an institution of this country that favors the privileged. Digital forms of media have lessened the impact of artistic institutions on the populations ideas of what is fine art. In this article is a poignant discussion of the digital work of Alma Lopez, and how her work is heralded by techniques of the digital age. Another important point is that much of her work is criticized, but either way whether the art is popularly loved, or popularly hated, a larger picture of discourse is created when art is in its digital form. And this is because more voices can be heard, both the voices of the creators, and the much larger groups of viewers who are able to discuss these works because they are posted online.