CARA Exhibition & Alicia Gaspar de Alba

     In "Out of the House, the Halo, and the Whore's Mask: The Mirror of Malinchismo", Alicia Gaspar de Alba speaks about the CARA exhibit and its significance to the Chicano Movement. Through a collection of visual pieces, this exhibit demonstrates Chicano culture and identity, which often goes unnoticed. After reading this piece, I grew an appreciation for the exhibit, for it represented much more than just mere art. These pieces represented the struggles of the Chicano/a community, including the oppression they face from the white community. I like that this exhibit became a space in which all of these underlying issues were aired out and allowed for conversations to generate. The publicity drawn in by this exhibit allowed for the growth of advocacy, moving one step closer to change.
     Despite the positive aspects of the CARA exhibition, its greatest flaw is its lack of equal Chicana representation. The CARA exhibit showcases the work of over 100 Chicano/a artists. However, the representation of Chicanos is much greater than that of Chicanas. As explained by Alicia Gaspar de Alba, "of the three groups selected for special recognition within the Chicano Art Movement, not one of them had women's concerns and particular oppressions primary to their agendas." As a result, this exhibit fails to encompass the main adversities of Chicano/a culture. By lacking an equal amount of female representation, the CARA exhibit only further exemplifies the repression that women and Chicanas face daily.
     After the presentation in class by Alicia Gaspar de Alba, I was able to better understand what she was explaining in her paper. I specifically liked hearing about the adversities she faced because it makes her work relatable to others. Also, when she spoke about feminist label, I found it illuminating how some individuals didn't label themselves as feminists because of the various meanings that they thought the label carried.