Lopez, Josue (Week 9)

Sand One

 I enjoyed Mara Higuera’s presentation on Chicanx artist Sand One. I had previously seen Sand One’s murals around different parts of Los Angeles, and I always enjoyed seeing her “dolls” and the peculiar style she uses to portray different aspects of femininity. Mara’s presentation was great because it contextualized San One’s art by putting a human face and story behind the creation of the “dolls”. The glamorous appearance of the dolls, with their long eyelashes, lipstick, and heavy makeup could be construed as vain and even consumerist by an audience. However, Mara tells us that the “dolls” visual aesthetic was actually influenced by Sand One’s memories of growing up with her single mother in East Los Angeles and her love for makeup and feminine beauty. Rather than seeing the “dolls” as objectifying women, Mara says that Sand One seeks to empower women by challenging the sexualized male gaze and reclaiming glamor and female beauty as an aspect of female identity rather than a social imposition. Sand One seeks to create community through her art, particularly for marginalized groups like the queer and sex workers community. Her art decenters the male gaze, which is represented by the sad-eyed “teddy bears” in her murals, portraying women in control of their bodies and their sexuality. I also found it fascinating how Sand One is a self-taught artist who developed her own style without the need to attend college or formal training. I find this fact to be truly empowering not just for female Chicanx artists, but for all artists who come from a disadvantaged socioeconomic background. Thanks to Mara’s great presentation I have found a new appreciation for Sand One’s murals, and will definitely change the way I see them as I drive around the city.