In Claudia E. Zapata's essay titled "Chicano Graphics in the Digital Age", she sheds light on how art and technology became a huge part of Chicana/x artists within the digital age. One of the biggest problems in creating art has always been the accessibility of being able to witness the creation itself. Through new technology and digital forms, art has become more accessible to others. The essay presents the idea that art does not have to be a physical piece on canvas in order for it to be considered "art". This false ideology is driven from the old praise that we used to give predominately white male European artists. This is a new age, and this belief must come to an end. The digital age, as Zapata explains, has allowed art to be seen through any medium, or any lens to a wide variety of people.
The importance of this essay was how quickly art can be shown, and how this can implicate messages to viewers in a faster, wider scale. In the new age, digital art can ignite movements and bring more attention to sociopolitical issues that occur in our society today. One example was the image found on the second page of the essay. The image depicts a portrait of a woman with words at the top that read "JUSTICE FOR LAYLEEN POLANCO". The name of the woman was really familiar to me as I remember reading about it on the news. This was another case of police brutality, where the life of an Afro-Latino trans woman by the name of Layleen Polanco was lost. This story, was widespread, but even seeing this portrait helped me to remember something that I hadn't thought about in awhile. It ignited a memory and a movement just at my fingertips. This is what I think Zapata is trying to get across in her essay. Art already has so much power when speaking to audiences, but with the help of the digital age-- we can now say so much more to a greater audience.
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