Extra Credit: Barbara Carrasco

    Barbara Carrasco is an artist and a muralist whose works have been exhibited in the US, Central America and Europe. She received her M.F.A. from the California Institute of the Arts and her B.F.A. from UCLA. She works with many different mediums and her artworks center around feminism and social justice. One of her most recognizable pieces is Pregnant Women in a Ball of Yarn. In this piece, a nude, pregnant woman is bound to a ball of yarn. Carrasco created this in response to her brother forbidding his wife from attending college because she was pregnant. Specifically, he said her role was to raise their baby. Thus, Pregnant Women in a Ball of Yarn offers a feminist perspective on how women feel tied to the motherhood. Furthermore, this artwork is even linked to female sterilization. Another feminist piece is the Dolores print. This handmade art print honors the feminist Dolores. The print is even colored in pink to reflect the strength of Dolores and embrace her femininity. As for social justice pieces, the Los Angeles mural by Carrasco displays the history of Los Angeles. In particular, there is a panel about the Japanese internment camps. Carrasco faced opposition for this panel since this period of time is dark and sensitive. However, Carrasco seeked permission from the Japanese community and they motivated her to include the scene because it serves as a reminder for something that shouldn’t happen again. Other murals that touched on social justice are Carrasco’s UFW Martyrs and the mural at the UFW Convention. The UFW Martyrs mural is about a man named Rufino Contreras who was killed during the farmer’s workers movement. This mural serves to honor his life. As for the mural at the UFW Convention, it’s created with toxic ink that didn’t allow for breakage when it was folded up. Using toxic paint was done on purpose because the staff would fold the murals away in order to limit visibility. Image is Pregnant Women in a Ball of Yarn by Barbara Carrasco.

Pregnant Women in a Ball of Yarn by Barbara Carrasco