Week 9: Cristina Cardenas (Artist Presentations)

Considering the wide array of unique artists that we were exposed to last week, I was having a tough time deciding on one to name as the most "interesting" or "captivating". However, after conducting a small, yet thorough, amount of research on a certain pool of artists, I had my pick. Cristina Cardenas. Cardenas specializes in Mexican Postwar art, as well as more contemporary approaches. Born in 1957, her art transcends the barriers of time, crossing over from one era in the other, depicting images of both the 20th century, as well as the 21st. The astonishing line-up of colors she uses virtually leaves no particular shade untouched,  and no temperatures unused with. She enjoys intertwining warm, and cool, colors in her artwork, which provides for this beautiful, eye-catching visual contrast in her pieces, that places emphasis on the, at times, abstract figures she includes in her images.

Much like many other Chicana artists, Cardenas also interweaves her feminist mentality and Mexican roots throughout her art. With blaring images of strong, independent women, paired with the vibrancy of the color palette she uses, her work just screams "empowerment". The symbolistic appeal to emotions, pathos, is also a vast goal that Cardenas seeks to accomplish in all her pieces. She wants the viewer not to feel bad for, but to have compassion and respect for, the headstrong women in society who have been shunned in society for far too long. Artists like Cardenas are here to eradicate the preconceived notions that men are more capable, both physically, and mentally, than women.

The piece below, made by Cardenas is titled "Flamingo Lips", it was an image that instantly caught my eye, because of the contrast between the cool colors, all around the border and in the background, and the warm colors which make up the woman's body in the image. The female is liberated, free, independent, and capable of achieving prosperity on her own, much like any other woman in any given community. Gender inequality has been vigorously opposed by many Chicana artists throughout art history, Cristina Cardeas is a prime example of that fight in action.