Gonzalez, Marina - Blog post 2

Chicano Digital Art

 Do Chicana artists feel that the internet has helped or hurt their ability to spread their art or message? 

 

It may be argued that the internet has negatively impacted Chicano art in broadening the idea of what is considered art and creativity as a whole, but the overall impact of technology has helped spread artwork of Chicana artists and has helped increase engagement via social media platforms. The internet has also opened pathways to new creativity and in terms of art, the internet has been a huge help in sharing more and more art and artists at a faster pace. However, Chicanna artists feel that due to the internet expansion they are able to showcase and engage with millions of people at a faster speed. They also feel that art is more accessible to everyone, not just artists in general, so given that as an advantage, it is easier for them to use digital art as a way to spread their artwork and message because these platforms are used by millions of people. And by utilizing online platforms, they are able to advertise and showcase way more than just a piece of artwork. They are able to showcase their identity, race, culture, ideas, and opinions. And by doing so, that helps spread their ideas faster until it reaches a large audience. Zapata has stated in her reading that “Chicanx artist have actively participated in each technological paradigm shift, unearthing and connecting these digitally informed efforts to lay the foundation for new lens of Chicanx study,” which indicates that Chicanx artists are being more and more active on social media platforms because as technology shifts, they are given the opportunity to open new windows in their artwork (131). And as a result they are very much expanding their ideas all across those platforms. Therefore, the internet has played a major role in Chicanx art because it has not only helped expand Chicanx art, it has also connected millions of people through these social medias. For that reason, they are likely to learn new ways of Chicanx art and so fourth.