Claudia Zapata Week 2 Question and Answer

 Question: How would the advancement of art impact older generations who may not use social media outlets?

Answer: While not everyone in older generations has access to the internet or social media outlets, there are still ways for them to be exposed to the works of art created by Chicanx artists. Some older generations may not follow social media, but they do watch the news and follow current events. When events happen such as the black lives matter movement, which was a movement sparked across the entire country, it is going to be seen on television as well as newspapers. For this reason, older generations will be able to see artworks created by Chicanx artists that are making a difference with their digital artwork. For example, Zapata explains how Jesus Barraza’s digital art pieces portraying victims of police brutality are used at protests world wide (Zapata, 142). While these portraits are being spread online, older generations will be able to see images in the news and current events where people are holding these images and spreading awareness. These digital works become part of a larger conversation and are actually more than just internet images, but images everyone will be able to see. These images spark political conversation and will be used throughout more aspects in society other than the internet platforms they may have been created on. We can also see that Zapata also states how artists will encourage people to print images of their art in order to distribute (Zapata, 145). So while social media is the starting place for many of these artists, it is not the only place we will see them. The reading elaborates on the technological advancements for Chicanx digital artists, but does not make it out to be the best and only way to see advancements in Chicanx art (Zapata, 150). Therefore older generations would still be able to see artwork in their communities and through television news rather than only on social media and internet sources.