During the presentations for week 9, I was really fascinated by the art of Sand One, as presented by Mara Higuera. Her “dolls” really stood out to me, because they seem like a take on modern feminism. They’re hyperfeminine figures that represent the underdogs of the Chicana community--single mothers, strippers, and women who experience struggle. Her dolls each have their own intricate backstory and accompanying zodiac sign; everything from 29 year old Pisces “Pride”, a single lesbian who knows the hustle, to 22 year old “Cakes”, a Haitian Capricorn who makes a living selling penthouses & thrives on her own independence. All her dolls have long luscious lashes, which take inspiration from her mother’s love for makeup & mascara. On the surface, the dolls might just seem like representations of women who fit into traditional beauty norms, but they’re more complicated than that. They’re women who endure hardships and never give up, women with passions who work towards a better life, women who take time to enjoy the finer things. They’re strong women who stay true to themselves, and who defy society’s expectations of what a feminine woman should be. Something that interests me about Sand One is how she works across various scales, creating digital art prints, and even large-scale graffiti murals. It helps to make her work accessible to different kinds of art consumers. She has also discussed facing backlash for her art style, and how some people don’t take her seriously as an artist because of racist, classist, and sexist expectations of Latina artists. It’s really great to see how she’s working to create a presence for women who don’t fit into traditional roles. Overall, I was impressed by her work & the associated concepts she comes up with. Thank you for your presentation, Mara!
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