I found this course to be extremely insightful, fruitful,
and necessary. The conversations and discussions the course initiated provided
opportunities for learning about aspects of an artworld that seemed lacking in
its visibility. Through the course, I was able to gain amazingly fruitful
knowledge of the historical contexts and presence of Chicana and Latina art and
artists. Much of this knowledge is unnoticed and arguably hidden or
overshadowed by a blanket of primarily male dominated artworld. This course
gave an opportunity to go beyond the institutionally curated norms and
developed not only a space for learning of Chicana and Latina art but also
developed the privilege to take part in a form of activism in opening this
space for further visibility of these artists.
My experience in this
class was also very generative and I feel my biggest take away was the
contextual exploration of the two primary focused artists, Yolanda M. López and
Carmen Lomas Garza. Their cultural, gendered, and timed contexts allowed my
understanding of the Chicanx perspective in the artworld to be greatly expanded
upon. It has also instigated an enthusiastic drive in further exploring or
expanding upon my own art practice and its relationship with my identity as a
brown body.
Alberto, what you said about going institutionally curated norms is so valuable to the resistance of eurocentric narratives. Visibility and acknowledgement of folks outside of the western canon is in fact an act of expressing counterculture. Truly resonant.
ReplyDeleteHey Alberto, Great Reflection on the course! I completely agree that this course is needed especially at a college whose majors center around male perspectives and knowledge. As a sociology major, I have noticed this trend in many of the courses I have taken and it was not until I took on a chicano/a/s minor where I saw the importance of Chicana visibility at the forefront.
ReplyDeleteHi Alberto! I completely agree with you that this course created a space where students can engage in discourse and bring visibility to Chicanx and Latinx artists. Just like you, I appreciated the fact that we got the opportunity to be activists and spotlight the works of Chicanx and Latinx women in a political climate where gender equality is fought for.
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