Extra Credit: Las Guurrrls del Valle, Chicana Art, Then and Now, a Queer Perspective

During another segment of Seen and Unseen, fellow activists and artists Ester Hernandez and Omequetzal Lopez were featured to discuss their work and impact on the community. I'm choosing to focus on Ester Hernandez as her visual work resonates with me more. Hernandez is a San Francisco-based visual artist born in Dinuba to a Mexican/Yaqui farm worker family and is a UC Berkeley graduate.

La Ofrenda

During the 80's, Hernandez had created an extremely controversial piece at the time for depicting a confident nude woman with tattoos and punk hairstyle, which was normally associated with men, and implied a romantic relationship with another woman. This piece stands not only as a rejection of gender norms but critiques our heteronormative society. As was mentioned in the video, Hernandez took a great risk with this piece that could've cost her rejection by her own community. 

The conversation then proceeded to a lesson on gender pronouns, gender identity, expression, sexual orientation, and sex as a social construction. I had already been aware of this topic but was given clarity in regards to sex being a social construction as I had previously thought only gender was. But with the explanation of how there is no binary with the biology of sex, in regards to intersex individuals which provided me with tools to inform others on this topic. I have gotten into conversations prior with individuals who do not under the identity of non-binary or raising children as gender-neutral.

During the film they had showed of Ester Hernandez, several moments she discussed about her childhood reminded me of myself. She talked about drawing in the mud, using charcoal and drawing her family and friends. When I was in elementary school, I would draw in bic blue pens my classmates in my math packet. All the way until my senior year of high school in my AP Calculus class I would draw on my math worksheets which told me a lot about which career I should strive for.

Sun Mad Raisins

Hernandez's family had been farmers as well so she aligned herself with the agenda of the United Farm Workers union. This piece she created, disrupts the narrative that farmers are these happy workers who enjoy their job. In reality, they are exposed to dangerous chemicals, unfair working conditions, and low wages. She also demonstrated the use of women in advertisements of commodities. Though this is a relatively tame image compared to the advertisements I've seen of women in food commercials. These advertisements were mainly on the Spanish Language channels with telenovela actresses acting sexy for product commercials like Ruffles and Pepsi.

Extra Credit: Seen and Unseen Los Ojos de Barbara

Barbara Carrasco is an artist and muralist who received her MFA from California Institute of the Arts and a BFA from UCLA. She was appointed UC Regents Professor at UC Riverside in 2002 and is a board member of the Dolores Huerta Foundation. 

Pregnant Woman in a Ball of Yarn

She created a lithograph on a zinc print inspired by her brothers frustration and sexism to his wife wanting to go to work instead of taking care of the children; she had printed it on rice paper to represent the femininity. Carrasco's use of the ball of yarn also represents the homemaking abilities of sewing clothing or other items women have been forced to adhere to which further supports the sexism the artist wishes to expose. One unintentional symbolism women related to in Carrasco's piece was the forced sterilization of women at the USC medical center. Personally, I also saw this as women who are victims of intimate partner violence that unintentionally become pregnant by their abusive partner and become bound to them for the rest of their life if they choose to keep the child. 

UFW Matters

Carrasco had done much work aligned with the United Fam Workers Union, she created an 11x14 mural banner based on a young martyr named Rufino Contreras that had been killed by a farmers son but the killer never faced any imprisonment. This wasn't a one time incident either as her piece also honors other martyrs that were murdered such as Nan Freeeman, Nagi Daifallah, Juan de la Cruz, and Rene Lopez. Artists involved with the UFW didn't receive financial compensation and Carrasco was often questioned as to why she did this work for free, she saw this as a movement where the farm workers and picket liners weren't getting paid either so she didn't see her role as needing special treatment. This piece reminded me much of the Black Lives Matter Movement that displays the faces of the black community who have been unjustly murdered by law enforcement and failed by justice system. It comes to show the years of injustice that have plagued communities of color within the justice system and society itself. 

UFW Convention

She began painting on vinyl with these banners so they were more resistant to moisture unlike the previous canvas banners that had been used. The painting was formed as three piece global map to emphasize Chavez's desire to make the UFW worldwide. Her piece had Cesar Chavez's daughter model as a pregnant woman reading a letter from the UFW, she also had Dolores Huerta's son Ricky pose holding a book to demonstrate the UFW's educational plan. The size of the banner required help from many people to complete the piece in a matter of days. The lack of labor rights was not limited to just farmworkers in the United States, if the UFW had expanded like the painting demonstrates it could've aided third world countries that continue to remain in poverty with exploitation of labor not just for adults but children as well. Industries such as Starbucks, Nestle, and mica powder for makeup products use child labor with dangerous working conditions and low wages. 

Wk. 5: La Virgen de Guadalupe

From my birth I was placed into the Catholic religion. I was baptized, completed my first communion and confirmation. After finishing my confirmation to satisfy my parents, I never went back to the Church as a believer. One moment during the youth group I had attended prior to completing my confirmation, someone had asked if we worship the Virgin the same way we do God and the answer was no. That although we honor her, we do not equate her grandeur to that of God or even Jesus. Growing up I was never told to pray to the Virgen, just to God. I had never really thought about it much back then but now being asked to tell my experience I realize that practically the only female icon we are exposed to in this religion isn't to be regarded that highly compared to the male icons.

I find the whole concept of the Virgen ironic, the Catholic religion imposes the idea that if a woman engages in sexual activity prior to marriage she is no longer pure or innocent therefore not worthy of an honorable marriage. However, the Virgen being an already married woman and being able to have a child without sex is the perfect example of a pure women doing her duty by having children. It's ridiculous to me. 

The Virgen was never someone I could relate to, none of my experiences related to hers, the traits she embodies doesn't align with who I am. I only ever saw her as this small statue that we have in our house. I see her as someone without any character, just a face created to symbolize the insane ideals that religions such as this one expect women to uphold. Being apart of the Catholic religion, I never felt comfortable and leaving it was very freeing for me. I understand that religion wants it's believers to look up to icons like the Virgen as role models but I never did. I find better role models by paying attention to the people I actually know and those whose stories I've heard about with the good they've achieved. I was never told to follow these icons to become a better person but just to obey the rules in order to served God. The people I see as role models now make me want to be a better person.

Wk. 4: ¡Printing the Revolution! Exhibition Preview

 

¡Printing the Revolution! The Rise and Impact of Chicano Graphics, 1965 to Now is an exhibition that came together with years of tireless work by E. Carmen Ramos and Claudia Zapata to go across the nation finding influential artists to piece together a social activist story from the 1960's to today through art. The artists in this exhibition not only display their talent in the artistic field but their diverse experience in American society to provide awareness and garner understanding from the community. 

The most prominent of artists were the printmakers of the Chicano Civil Rights Movement, they produced work depicting the consciousness of the Chicano. The work of these printmakers began the socio-political graphic arts movement. While silk screen printing was a dominant medium used by Chicanx artists, many also used lithography, installation, interactive art, public displays, and digital art over the decades to exhibit the variety of social issues communities were combatting. 

The earliest printmaking works of this revolution tackled issues of the United Farm Workers. Several significant printmakers included Rupert Garcia who created pieces advocating for ethnic studies in the educational curriculum and Yolanda Lopez who used her work to combat police abuse and support immigration reform. One moving and unfortunately growing installation piece done by Oree Originol, presents portraits of people killed during interactions with law enforcement and is available online for people to use during protests. The Royal Chicano Air Force is a collective of artists that was born during the movement and is featured in the exhibition with their work that served to reclaim the Mexican identity of it's people through Mesoamerican depictions. Other issues these artists challenged was the American experience through the eyes of black, indigenous and people of color, the Cuban Revolution, the Vietnam War, global dictatorships, U.S. intervention colonialism, and racial oppression. One of the components of the exhibitions that I found most surprising was the inclusion of non-Chicanx artists, it featured Sicilian-American artist Josh Sanchez, Chilean born artist Rene Castro, Dominican York Proyecto GRAFICA collective of Dominican-American artists, Asian-American artist Nancy Hom, and Puerto Rican artist Poli Marichal. 

While this exhibition was only able to be seen virtually for the time being, that in no way undermined the power and message behind these incredible works of art. I enjoyed seeing the variety of mediums these artists employed to show their creative abilities. The Chicano Civil Rights Movement occurred in the 1960's, a very recent time meaning that the work put into producing this exhibition to catalog the pieces created by these artists is even far more important since it has the advantages of hearing testimonials from the artists at the center of the movement. What makes this exhibition of Chicanx art legacy different from those that display Abstractionism or Pop Art is that it validates the suffering others have had to endure for change to happen. The experiences of the underprivileged were voiced through these pieces and that emotion cannot be replicated.

    

Wk. 3: Artist- Emilia Cruz

Emilia Cruz (she/her/hers)

    Cruz is a first-generation Mexican-American artist born in San Diego, CA in 1993. She moved to Simi Valley at the age of three but spent most of her childhood weekends traveling back and forth to visit family in Tijuana, Baja California, MX. Her love for art started at a young age as did her exposure to adversity. Her motivation to create inspirational pieces of art stemmed from the colorism she viewed through people of her skin tone being depicted as villains in television and movies.

    Though she was aware of art school while in high school, she didn't apply until after having attended Moorpark College. She is now currently enrolled in the Illustration program at Art Center College of Design working towards a BFA in Illustration. Her pieces centers around women of color, using her favorite mediums oil and acrylic paint for vibrancy in her figurative work. She teaches art classes for kids at Plaza de la Raza’s Performing and Visual Arts school located in Lincoln Heights, Los Angeles, CA. She was recently commissioned by CNN en Español for Proyecto Ser Humano (Humanity Project) and for a Netflix series called Gente-fied.

Exhibitions:

Self-Help Graphics, Los Angeles, CA, 2020 Vision: Prophecy Manifested, March 2020, curated by Mujeres de Maiz

Montana Shop LA, Los Angeles, CA, Ladies First, February 2020

Tonalli Studio, Los Angeles, CA, Corazón de Melón, February 2020

Centro de Artes, San Antonio, TX, Xicanx, New Visions, February 2020, curated by Dos Mestizx

Avenue 50 Studio, Los Angeles, CA, Mujer: Rights, February 2020

South Pasadena City Hall Galleries, So Pas, CA, Entrelazadas, January 2020, curated by 11:11 A Creative Collective

City Hall Gallery, Pacoima, CA, Fuerza De La Mujer, November 2019 curated by 11:11 A Creative Collective

ChimMaya Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, Arte Pare La Gente, October 2019

La Bodega Gallery, San Diego, CA, Perfect 10 Group Show, October 2019

ChimMaya Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, September Group Show, September 2019

Tonalli Studio, Los Angeles, CA, Entering the Goddess Portal, August 2019

La Bodega Gallery, San Diego, CA, Friducha, Frida Inspired Art Show, July 2019

ChimMaya Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, Primavera, May 2019

Nepantla Cultural Arts Gallery, Seattle, Washington, Chingonas Art Exhibition, May 2019

MCAU Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, We Are Many, March 2019

La Bodega Gallery, San Diego, CA, Chicana: Liberated and Empowered, March 2019

Self Help Graphics & Arts, Los Angeles, CA, Mujeres de Maiz Annual Art Exhibit, March 2019

Tonalli Studio, Los Angeles, CA, Light Flying Backwards, March 2019

ChimMaya Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, 13th Annual Open House, December 2018

ChimMaya Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, Las Hijas de La Luna y del Sol, Solo Exhibit, November 2018

ChimMaya Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, Frida y Los Muertos, October 2018

Angel City Brewery, Los Angeles, CA, Stories of the Neighborhood, October 2018 curated by Ms.Yellow

ChimMaya Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, Autumn Group Show, September 2018

Kaleidoscope Kollective, Los Angeles, CA, That Brown Skin Magia, September 2018

Avenue 50 Studio, Los Angeles, CA, Mis Cuentos, Solo Exhibit, July 2018

ChimMaya Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, 13th Year Anniversary, July 2018

La Bodega Gallery, San Diego, CA, Frida Kahlo Art Show, July 2018

SPARC, Venice, CA, When She Rises, July 2018

ChimMaya Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, I Am Not a Label, April 2018

La Bodega Gallery, San Diego, CA, Chicana: Magia de Mujer, March 2018

Plaza de la Raza, Los Angeles, CA, Viva la Muxer, March 2018 curated by Las Fotos Project

 Artwork:

Ni Tu Santa Ni Tu Puta, Emilia Cruz, 2018

I found this piece particularly interesting because it is Cruz's own take on one of Frida Kahlos most famous work. It represents the binary category women in Latinx culture are forced to choose between. Either a free, independent woman considered promiscuous or well-mannered, traditional and submissive lady. Cruz maintains the idea Kahlo had buy having the one heart attached to the submissiveness being broken while the other is full.

Am I Too Dark?, Emilia Cruz, 2017

A very prominent work of Cruz's, this piece garnered much attention and support from audiences that related to the experience of colorism. She used her younger sister to pose for her in this piece, which speaks on the lack of representation seen for girls of color within popular items such as toys. 

References:

https://emiliacruz.com/about

http://www.artcenter.edu/connect/dot-magazine/articles/emilia-cruz-illustration-netflix-gentefied.html

https://journal.malcs.org/artistas/past-artists/emilia-cruz/

Week 2: Claudia E. Zapata Reading

Though Rupert Garcia was dedicated his life to hand printing, he abruptly transferred to solely digital printing. Why would artists, like Garcia, commit such a change?

Initially, Garcia was hesitant to dive into the digital arts for fear of corrupting his fine art. However, digital printmaking offered a more efficient process for Garcia to create his prints whereas hand printing was time-consuming to create stencils for multiple images. Other reasons for why this mode of printmaking was preferable was that it allowed artists not highly skilled with drawing to find an alternative method they could create artwork with. Digital printing also provided faster distribution of prints to the community especially if it was to support a cause, as many Chicanx artists used printmaking to raise awareness around social justice issues. The amount of resources needed for digital printing versus hand printing varied drastically, with digital processes requiring fewer materials as opposed to the countless sheets of paper, paints, and cutting tools needed for handmade work. During the rise of digital printing was also the innovation of inkjet printers which offered a wider variety of color and higher print quality, something that would have been harder to achieve by creating the work by hand. 

Arnold, Natalia

Hello Everyone!

   I hope you all have been doing well lately and staying safe during these tough times. I'm Natalia Arnold, my pronouns are she, her, hers and I'm currently a Chicanx Studies major with a plan on double majoring in Art as well. This is my second quarter here at UCLA after I attended MiraCosta College and received my Associates Degree in Art, History and Sociology. My goal is to become an Ethic Studies professor with an emphasis on social justice art which is why this class interested me. I've previously conducted research on how socio-political art has impacted the activism and cultural awareness of Chicanx youth. My research has also included the oppression of Latinas within their culture in regards to sexualized media portrayals of their bodies and shame imposed on their sexuality. These topics interested me because my artwork centers around being an activist for my community and an empowered Chicana. So by taking this course I wanted to learn more about Chicana artists because in the art world as it is, it is very Euro and phallocentric. Being able to see the work of other Chicanas would inspire my work and increase my confidence as a Chicana artist. 

    The Carmen Ramos essay correlated much with the Chicanx studies course I took at my former college and the research I previously conducted. It connected with information on the Royal Chicano Air Force and El Taller Grafico that I was familiar with. However, what intrigued me was the examination of Chicana artists, especially queer Chicana artists. The essay gave me a new insight on Corky Gonzalez's Yo Soy Joaquin poem and how it emphasized a male representation of the Chicanx movement. The work Esther Hernandez, was truly spectacular to me by her portraying an active woman fighting gender stereotypes while being critical of the so-called freedom and equality in the United States that has denied marginalized communities that right. Not to mention her work La Ofrenda which highlighted the Chicana queer community. It's these types of artworks that often go unrecognized for the power held by largely white male artists and their use of female bodies as sexual objects within their work. But after viewing this article I am even more excited to learn and spread information about these amazing Chicanas who used their art to challenge the numerous barriers they faced.