Banuet, Haziel (Week Eight)

Last week we were able to listen in on a few presentations and one of the artists that stood out for me was Ruby Chacon. She is known as a muralist, but she also fluctuates between art mediums such as prints and paintings. Chacon was born and raised in Utah and is a first generation artist and daughter of immigrants. Growing up her family was not super traditional, in fact her family did not incorporate much of their Mexican culture growing up. They even moved to a more rural area in Utah to avoid being associated with the community. Because she grew up in a non-traditional family, Chacon questioned her identity a lot from a young age. Later as she began to make a name for herself through her art, questions about her identity always came up. Now Chacon identifies as a Utana (Utahan and Chicana). 

Chacon began creating art at a young age, but she got more serious after tragedy struck her family. Her art brought light to her family and the community. Much of Chacon’s art resists what Utahan art really is because it depicts what real Utahan communities look like and not just landscapes. Most of her artwork is also displayed in public spaces because she wants to give access to everyone. For example, one of her public murals (features above) was funded by the Department of Education. The mural depicts life in Utah while also representing the hispanic community that is present in Utah.