Walking Guadalupe (1978)

An image of Yolanda M. Lopez’s artwork that caught my attention was Walking Guadalupe (1978). In this image, La Virgen De Guadalupe from the waist up is the same as you and I probably remember, in regards to how she is looking down and praying. However, what differs in this image is that La Virgen is looking to the right instead of the left and the glowing rays behind her are missing, she only has a white background. Additionally, she is not stepping on an angel. What really makes this image different is that La Virgen’s dress is cut shorter and you can see her calves and feet, she is wearing sandaled heels.  

I really liked this piece because it was very simple yet powerful. It is simple in the sense that it is essentially the same image we remember from our childhood but with a minor twist. La Virgen has mobility. This is important to note because La Virgen De Guadalupe that we remember is stepping on an angel but she is not moving. I believe that symbolizes the idea of domestic life and the gender roles enforced by Latino culture where a woman is only good to be a wife, bear children, and maintain the home. By the La Virgen De Guadalupe having mobility, she is able to do as she pleases and reach her goals. This image to me is important for the Chicana Feminist Movement because it combines the goals of the movement (the rejection of patriarchy, liberation from virgin/whore dichotomy, etc.) and combines it with a vital Catholic figure; a figure Latinx’s all look up to.