Blog Post, Week 3 : Shifra Goldman

Figure 46. Yolanda M. Lopez, The Nanny, from Women's Work Is Never Done series,
1994. Mixed - media installation.

         Goldman discusses the movement of Chicano art in her essay "The Iconography of Chicano Self- Determination: Race, Ethnicity, and Class", which lead to a discovering of Chicanos identity.  Goldman discusses the history of Mexican peoples and points out that Mexico had a relationship or as she states "mingled" with Pueblo Indians of New Mexico in the section of race. Muralist Antonio Bernal depicts an indigenous heritage, and Mexican and African- American activists. Chicano artists reflected and illustrated North American Indians since they were also oppressed. Goldman defines ethnicity as, " set of activities, traits, customs, rituals...by the members of a given national/ ethnic group" (169). Goldman mentions that Anglo- Americans not only colonized Mexican territory but  also destroyed their culture. Anglos attacked Mexican culture through stereotypes, language..etc. Class was a very important aspect for Chicano artists. For example, Chicano muralist Emigdio Vasquez paints a rancher, migrant crop pickers, miners..etc. Class along with ethnicity,race, and gender were important for Chicano artists to express in their work since the outcome led to a self- identity and determination. 

The image that I have selected is titled The Nanny by Yolanda Lopez. Lopez created this image which showcased how Mexican culure was being degraded by white women and the media. The color women in both of the posters are vendors. In the center is a nanny uniform which represents labor. Yolanda Lopez creates art that revealed the oppression that Chicana and Mexican women dealt with such as gender, ethnicity, nationality..ect. She is challenging these views in order for Chicana women and Mexican women to take a different stance in their lives or challenge these positions.
Through her art, Lopez is able to investigate not only her identity, but the identity and self- determination of Chicana and Latinas everywhere.