I had never heard the term Chicana Futurism and prior to reading the article, “Deus ex Machina” by Catherine S. Ramirez I could not imagine what it represented. Ramirez defines it as reproducing things that represent Chicanx cultural identities from the use of science and technology. This can be in a literal sense too, in which actual technology gadgets can be used in the art. Chicana Futurism was another way to challenge a long history of Latinos being excluded from many things including science and technology. In addition, the exclusion was a result from classist, racist, and sexes stereotypes that was also challenged in the art. Ramirez writes about Marion C. Martinez, the “folk” artist that took technologies and included them into their art and science and technology discourse. Marinez used discarded pieces of tech and included them into her work in which she portrays the “santos” and other spiritual figures.
One thing I’d like to discuss is the term primitive as it pertains to Latinos. The article discusses the exclusion of Latinos from technologies under “The Land of Poco Tiempo” and focuses on New Mexico. Ramirez writes about Latinos in rural areas in which the areas are just pieces of land that Latinos occupy and there being a disconnect to the land and nature, as opposed to the Native Americans that are connected. As a result, the spaces they occupy are isolated and separated from the use of science and technology. Therefore, associated and stereotyped as wild or primitive. It made me think about our ancestors in Mexico, that were also considered ‘primitive. for example, the Aztecs they had some advanced technologies like the creation of the Aqueducts that provided fresh water. The pyramids that are strategically placed that required math and science. Although Martinez work stems from their background and focuses on new age technologies in their work and I understand that the technologies are more advanced today, (therefore important to have access to), I thought it was also important to remember our past and how advance they were.
Hi Evangeline, I really enjoyed reading your post. Your reminder that the past of Mexico has always been filled with technologies, some seen as advanced and some seen as not advanced, that should be recognized. I agree with you and I also think all technologies are important. It is always infuriating that we look at and judge other cultures and past peoples' technologies and rate them and categorize them from least to most advanced, when I feel that all technology has a purpose and serves the people who created them and therefore are important.
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