Chicana Printmakers

Holly Barnet-Sanchez' essay on Chicana printmakers is significant because she is helping make these artists' work visible. Sanchez discusses the importance of Chicana artists' work in relation to the Chicana/o Movement and other political issues. Their contributions as artists shed light to many issues Chicanas were dealing with before and now. Although they created a political dialogue, their work was not acknowledged. Therefore these women created their own spaces to show their art.

One of the artists who was making prints during this time is Yreina Cervántez. One of her images that I really like is El pueblo chicano con el pueblo centroamericano. In this image Cervántez mixed different iconic images of La Virgen with icons like Rigoberta Menchu and indigenous symbols. I found this image very interesting because she unites the struggles of Central Americans to Chicanas/os, creating solidarity. Since I am from El Salvador I like images like this that unite our experiences to create an awareness of what Latina/o people have survived. 

Week 8: Carmen Lomas Garza

Carmen Lomas Garza's art was really interesting for me to be exposed to. I had never seen her artwork but I especially liked the way Garza's images represent and honor our Latina/o culture. One of the pieces that really caught my attention is Tamalada. The reason I really like this image is because it reminds me of home. During holidays or parties my family used to always get together and cook for everyone else. Now it's not so much of a practice because my family has drifted away from each other. This is probably another reason why I connected with this piece. I miss the times when all of my aunts would gather in the kitchen cooking to some Cumbias in the background. I remember a couple of times when my aunt was making tamales to sell in our neighborhood. The scene was very similar to Tamalada; everyone had their own role making the tamales and as a kid I was around watching, trying to learn.

For this reason, I had a connection with most of Garza's prints. I love that one of her main purposes with her art was to represent our culture which was not valued at the time. Not only has she preserved our culture she has also validated it so everyone sees that our culture is rich. Also Garza's images challenge the norms within art because they are not what some would see as traditional or requiring great skill. I say this because on of my neighbors saw Constance Coretz' book and said Garza's images were "ugly." I think he didn't understand why there was a whole book devoted to her work. He said something like he could draw like that. I replied to him explaining why her work was political and important. She has created work that I can relate to and I view my culture with pride.

Letter to Juana Alicia

Dear Juana Alicia,

          Before I begin I would just like to say how beautiful and inspiring your art is. I had been exposed to your art before, but I wasn't aware of the full extent of your art or your political activism. Enrollment in a Chicana art class this quarter is where I became more familiar with all of your different art pieces and community involvement.

          When I look at some of your different murals I am amazed and I think about all the time and work put into these art pieces. I don't consider myself an artist because I don't have that specific talent in creating murals like you do. However, your work is more than talent because it also inspires others to think about the issues you are drawing attention to. I especially think about how you began creating this art.

          I think your murals are really important because not only do they represent our culture but they also bring awareness to important causes, like farmworkers' rights. Although some other people were living through similar issues during this time period not everyone was bringing attention to inequalities. Murals like Las Lechugueras are really nice and interesting to look at but they made me think about what these women working on the farms were experiencing. This consciousness can create a change and improve the working conditions for these people. I also thought it was really cool that you were involved in painting the women's building in San Francisco. Although I haven't seen the building in person it looks amazing and I believe it's really important to appreciate and honor these women. One question I have for you is, what can we do to continue bringing awareness to the injustices in out communities?

Thank you,
Cristina

Classmate Reflection: Saul Quintero on Margarita Cabrera

I chose to comment on Saul Quintero's post because I agree with him that Margarita Cabrera's art is very powerful. The messages conveyed through her art can be overlooked because of the simplicity but when you start thinking about the materials she uses and the colors a strong message is conveyed.

 

I wasn't aware of Cabrera's art prior to the presentation so I was really glad to be introduced to her work. Although I was reading into the messages relayed by the materials she used for certain pieces I didn't think of it the way Saul did. He mentioned her soft sculptures resembling children's toys and as soon as I read his interpretation I agreed with the comparison. 

I believe that it is really important to challenge gendered expectations that are placed on men and women in our society. More importantly the messages put upon young girls increasingly send messages of reproductive work as the main purpose of a woman's life. In toy stores, increasingly "toys" for young girls are kitchen and cleaning items masked by bright colors. Cabrera's art allows for young girls to challenge these gendered norms and expectations. She gives all of us tools to question inequalities and inhumane treatment.

Week 5 Presentations: Laura Aguilar

Today's presentation on Laura Aguilar was really interesting. It was really empowering to see her so open and comfortable with her body. Although she admits struggling with depression she is a model for women having body issues or having trouble loving their bodies. Beauty, as portrayed by today's mainstream media is usually seen as thin and fair-skinned women, but Laura dismisses those views with her nude portraits. 

The piece in the picture above titled, Three Eagles Flying, is a strong image of the boundaries Mexican American women are confined to. I know there are many women who can relate to Laura's message of not being able to truly fit into the categories of being U.S. American or Mexican because of her looks and sexual orientation. It is really powerful that she covered her face with the Mexican flag because it portrays the racialization she faces because of the way she looks and her phenotype. Although many of us are born and raised in the U.S. we are racialized and therefore deemed inferior because of what we look like. Seeing her bound with the ropes is also a strong image because of the constraints she feels from both U.S. and Mexican culture. All of the Laura's images and the video we saw in class showed her in a liberating way that was really inspiring. 

Week 4 Presentations: Margarita Cabrera

All of last week's presentations were really good but the artist that stood to for me the most was Margarita Cabrera. Prior to the presentation I had never heard of her or her work. What makes Margarita really unique as an artist is the use of her materials and how they relate to her art. The materials she uses are clearly well thought out and her hard work is evident in her life size pieces. 

What I really liked was the political side of her art and materials. For example, learning she used a border patrol officer's uniform for her cactus piece was really powerful. She plays with the experiences of immigration and the militarization of the U.S. - Mexican border. Similarly, the use of repurposed guns for her piece with the birds is another way to add a political meaning to what she does. I was really glad to become aware of her art and look forward to seeing her future pieces. 

Stencil

The stencil I used for my sketchbook was one of Professor Lopez's images. When I chose my original image I didn't use one that was a workable stencil. I have never made a stencil before so after Professor Lopez gave her instructions on how to cut I realized my image wasn't going to work. Now that I know how to create stencils I will use that skill to create something on the back on my sketchbook.

Luckily, one of the images I was able to choose from represents part of my ideology and who I am. The iconic fist within the female symbol represents who I am because do identify as a feminist. For me, feminism is a way of creating an awareness of the inequalities people face. It also allows to advocate for the rights of marginalized people. I want to use feminist ideologies to help my community to gain better access to resources others automatically have.

Chicana Artists in CARA & La Virgen

I really enjoyed Professor Gaspar de Alba's presentation on the CARA exhibition because it introduced me to more Chicana art. The images we were shown and the stories behind them have furthered my interest to engage with the material for this course. One of the most interesting parts of the presentation was that Professor Gaspar de Alba didn't know the CARA exhibition existed but it became a passion for her. This reinforces my continued search for knowledge and awareness. There are so many things I have yet to learn about my culture and it's exciting to think I can go on to find people's work that helps me in my journey to finding myself.

Although I grew up in a Catholic home, going to church and Catechism, I knew who La Virgen was but she wasn't a big icon in our home. My mom immigrated from El Salvador during the 80's and she had a strong Catholic background but I don't ever remember any emphasis on La Virgen. When we needed to pray to someone usually my mom would just mention God or Jesus; we didn't have any specific icons that we're really important to us. I honestly don't know why that is, but most of my family in El Salvador is Catholic and also don't have a strong bond with La Virgen.

For this reason I didn't have any negative reactions to the interpretation of La Virgen or the questioning of the legend. Although I no longer consider myself a Catholic my mom still does; she has seen some of the images of La Virgen that we are focusing on and she also didn't have any negative reactions. I really like the sense of empowerment invoked within these images that portray everyday women I can relate to.

Torres, Cristina

Hi my name is Cristina Torres. I'm a third year transfer from SMC. This is my first official quarter at UCLA (apart from participating in TSP over the summer). My major is Gender Studies with a minor in Chicana/o Studies and Latin America Studies. 

Alicia Gaspar de Alba's essay "Out of the House, the Halo, and the Whore's Mask: The Mirror of Malinchismo" was very interesting to read because I was unaware of the CARA exhibition and especially of the gender inequalities within the exhibition.I really liked the piece featured by Judy Baca titled "Las Tres Marias." The way it engages with the audiences and emerges us into the art. I don't know much about Chicana art so one of the main questions I kept thinking about is what changes have there been in regards to the inclusion of women's voices within the Chicana/o Art Movement. Are there more spaces that include Chicana art to explicitly challenge patriarchy and sexism and where are these spaces? 

The essay "There's no Place like Aztlan: Embodied Aesthetics in Chicana Art" was really engaging with the comparison to the Wizard of Oz at the beginning. I hadn't previously compared the sense of finding home with the film but now I see it's very similar to the experiences of some people in the U.S. While reading this essay I began questioning what would happen if Chicanas/os found Aztlan? Also if Aztlan is a mythical place that can't be found what would be the best way to overcome never finding the roots of one's true homeland?

Artist for Presentation: Maya Gonzalez

For the presentation I chose Chicana artist Maya Gonzalez. I'm interested in learning how she has used her art to empower young kids.