Astrid Hadad

Astrid Hadad is a Mexican Feminist artist who is known for her elaborated costumes and performances influenced by her Mexican culture and feminist identity. Her shows follow the format of cabaret, in which she engages her audience to understand her cultural processing. Through her performances and costumes, she critics the Mexican machismo, corruption, and violence against women. Her outfits are very story telling-like and she utilizes a lot of Mexican iconography to reconfigure their meaning and  challenge cultural norms pertaining gender. Her work represents her identity and Mexican culture while also addressing many political and historical issues.
One of my favorite works is shown on the left is from her live performance called Tierra Misteriosa in which she tells the story of Mexico from pre-Columbian to present. The performance is filled with many detailed beautiful costumes. Specifically, the costume shown on the left  exhibits the truth behind all the riches that were taken from Mexico. The front of the costume displays beauty and riches, whereas, the inside of her costume reveals the exploitation of the indigenous people during the conquest. Her costume symbolizes and represents all the atrocities and theft of the indigenous people that that occurred during the conquest. It shows how a nation was built on genocide and slavery. Moreover, this costume challenges colonialism and the way history is told. The work showcases the truth behind all the lies. She also addresses the oppression that continues to persist due to colonialism. Therefore, Hadad uses her work to make powerful statements and engage her audience to challenge hegemony.