Meza-Rendon, Silvia (Week 7: Claudia Zapata)

 In Claudia Zapata's essay we explore the idea of digital art although many might consider this as a replacement to art as we know it; I believe we are expanding our capabilities. We are extending the resources we have and are allowing people to experience the Chicano/a world in a new light. As stated in the essay, we can take into consideration the digital revolution that begun in the 1980s which allowed technical advancements. This allowed artists to express themselves through different platforms, creating a greater sense of activism amongst the Chicano/a community. It was interesting to find out that Chicano/a art is being presented in different ways. It caught my attention to know that they have gone as far as made virtual realities. At first, I believed it was only a way for individuals to play games but after reading Zapata's essay it is enlightening to see how situations can be played out for other's to experience Chicano/a art. One of the examples demonstrates the multi-sensory experience including video and audio to create the scenario Daniel went through. He experienced being kicked out of his home due to his sexuality. He was able to get recordings from the actual incident itself. Although we can only ever imagine what this may look like, Daniel was able to create his own virtual reality to share with others. I find it important for people to put themselves in these spaces to allow them to empathize with other individuals.