Week 3 Brenda Barrios La Virgin De La Guadalupe Experience and Knowledge

 My experience with the Virgin de la Guadalupe is that as a Mexican American I did see the work and image in passing because it is known in my culture however I did not grow up religious and I didn’t experience religion or praise for the image. I did see others have the image on a bracelet so I would recognize the image, except for the longest time I didn’t know the story and still sort of don’t. As an artist, I find it interesting that it is a woman and the vibrancy of the colors is cool. And now I do see it as empowering for women because the figure of women is put on a pedestal and respected and that to me seems rare. I like the various reinterpretations of the Virgin. To me now my experiences with this is that is empowering and culturally significant I think artistically it’s great because the colors and composition are great it becomes an iconic symbol. What I know of the virgin is that it represents merges of indigenous and when the religion transitioned or was colonized by Spain in order to then be catholic. And previously I did learn aspects of the history and the symbols imputed in the virgin drawing, I think it’s great to learn what each of the elements in the piece represents or is possibly is meant to signify. And I think also it was created to show the virgin was real and in Mexico, it is believed that the real first image is placed,  Art historians and scholars studied and said the material can’t be real because it would then deteriorate over years passing. ( I still would want to visit because I love art!!) If not real I think it is interesting how one symbol can signify so much history and power and really gives insight to our humanity functions.