Week 9

I really enjoyed being able to hear from my fellow classmates during their artist presentations. It was interesting to see the different artists that each person had chosen. Everyone seemed very passionate about the artists that they have been researching and had a lot of knowledge about the art pieces they chose to discuss. The artist that stood out to me the most was Judy Baca. Baca is a painter, muralist, monument builder, and former UCLCA professor. The artist’s creations are very intriguing and inspiring. Her work reflects the lives and concerns of populations that have been historically disenfranchised, including women, the working poor, youth, LGBTQIA+ and immigrant communities. Her public works projects are often created in impoverished neighborhoods as a way to help revitalize these areas. She is well known for her mural The Great Wall. Unfortunately, I have never seen it in person, but I hope to do so one day. The mural depicts a mile long multi-cultural history of California. It was created in collaboration with over 400 at risk youth and their families from diverse social and economic backgrounds, historians, and scholars.