Reflection Post

This class was very enjoyable and at times challenging, but I was happy to learn about Chicana/Latina artist. At the begging, I couldn’t name more than three artists but as the class progressed, I learned a lot not only about the different artist but also about different styles. I truly enjoyed the creative project. In the beginning, I was extremely averse to the idea of having to draw for the class because I had never done it before nor did I think I could. My first drawings were really bad because I didn’t believe I was capable of tracing more than lines and circles. But, as I started really trying and taking off the pressure of having to draw something good, I suddenly started getting a little better than I thought. I really enjoyed drawing the hands and just having fun with the pencil. The most challenging part was the portrait which didn’t come out too good but I was proud of at least trying. Also, I really had a good time doing the piece inspired by an artist. It was nice to know that we had the freedom to choose what to do.

One thing that impacted me the most was seeing how a lot of my classmates are extremely talented. I really enjoyed watching all their work on the last day we presented our sketchbooks. It was so great to see how some folks were very creative about their last pieces. It was almost like walking into a small gallery and seeing all that beautiful artwork. I feel this class not only provided is with academic knowledge but also with practical one because we were able to get hands-on experience by drawing on our sketchbooks. I really appreciated this class because it is not very often that one gets to have fun at the same time that we learn.

City and Cosmos: The Arts of Teotihuacan” at the LACMA (Extra Credit)

I attended the exhibit “City and Cosmos: The Arts of Teotihuacan” at the LACMA and it was truly a great experience. The exhibition was composed mostly by artifacts and art work that was discover in a tunnel underneath the Feathered Serpent Pyramid back in 2003. The passage was named Tlalocan by the archeologist who discovered it. The passage extends from La Ciudadela to the bottom of the pyramid and its about 337 feet. The Tlalocan tunnel is supposed to simulate the cosmic underworld and it is believed that the artifacts in the tunnel were part of an offering  to Teotihuacan founding ancestors. There were a lot of shells with different symbols graved into them, There were also a lot if miniature sculptures made of clay and a lot of spears and knives made of obsidian stones. However, one of the things that stood out the most to me was the painted pieces that looked like murals. The figures contained birds with spears and shields as well as Qutzales. The paint even tough looked a bit faded it was still quite vivid and the red colors in it really stood out and the drawings were carefully traced. I also noticed through the pieces that the culture had a deep and important connection with nature and animals in general. A lot of the pieces contained birds, serpents, butterflies, etc. Furthermore, the pieces reflect an important duality between terrestrial animals and those that can fly. Overall, the  exhibit was really enjoyable and empowering.

Presentation: Ana Mendieta

The artist that stood out the most to me this week was presented by our classmate Evelyn Castillo and it was the artwork by artist Ana Mendieta. Ana’s work really stood out to me because it was very raw. She used very real and graphic images in her art in order to convey her message. And, besides being very unconventional, her art carries a very truthful and realistic feeling . I really appreciated the fact that she used herself as a subject for her art because she emerges herself in her work. The image that most stood out to me was “untitled (rape scene). I really appreciate this piece because Medieta was not afraid to use such a graphic image to address the issues of violence against women. I think Mendieta’s dedication to her art is  admirable though this piece, not only did she address this issue but also showed the reality and cruelty of it. Furthermore, I was so shook to learn the controversy about her death and how the community responded to this. I think that  her art was heavily influenced personal experience which essentially lead to her death. This is part of the reason why her art is very important. Her art captures experiences from her own personal life and the way she views the world and this is what allowed her to create such realistic images.