Xandra Ibarra (Week 6)

Viewing Xandra Ibarra’s art was truly an experience. Scrolling through her website, you saw work that was bold, unexpected, and unapologetic. But it was clear that her work was more than content made for shock value--it was authentic, with a high degree of vulnerability woven throughout. Everything from intersectional feminism, to the experience of being a Brown womxn in the US (and specifically someone with a Chicana identity), sexual liberation, queer politics, abuse, and self-metamorphosis are found in her art.

One piece that really stood out to me was “Free To Those Who Deserve It (2020)”. It is part of the Sheree Rose and Bob Flanagan collection at ONE Archives inside the USC Libraries. “Free To Those Who Deserve it (2020)” is a series of images depicting sculptural penises held in colorful vices, with piercings and nails embedded throughout the flesh. At first glance, it was shocking. Powerful and violent. Photographs that would probably make most people shudder. But the more I looked, the more fine details I noticed. The sculptural genitals look incredibly tactile, with little bumps and ridges, veins and wrinkles carefully placed. They appear pliable and lifelike. Because of this softness, they look to be almost gently cradled by the vices. However, the cold metal piercings & needles offer a stark contrast to the warmth, and remind you--very explicitly--this is no vanilla act of sexual or bodily expression. My immediate impression was that this was not only an act of sexual rebelion, but also a criticism of the patriarchy. There seems to be a balance between femininity and masculinity at play, with violence used as liberation.

I am writing this past our meeting with Xandra Ibarra, but I found it incredibly enlightening getting to know her as an artist. I wanted to know about her inspiration behind this artwork. I enjoyed learning about Sheree Rose and Bob Flanagan, the performance artist couple that inspired the artwork, and more about her feminism. Overall, I’m a huge fan of her art and can’t wait to see what she creates in the future.