Week 10 Reflection

Week 9- Chicana Futurism

Week 8: Printing the revolution!

 

Although I did not attend the "Printing the revolution!" speaker series, I was luckily able to listen to a recording of it from a classmate. As I listened to each artist’s life story, I found it to be very interesting and inspiring. The first person I heard from was Malaquias Montoya. Malaquias grew up in the San Joaquin Valley raised by a single mother. While living in that area, Montoya grew up in a community which included people from diverse backgrounds such as Japanese and African-American. He was known for creating posters for many events that occurred. Another artist that spoke was Favianna Rodriguez. She was born and raised in Oakland, California with a family background of Afro-Peruvian. Favianna had created many posters which she used to express how she felt about events such as the anti-immigration law back in 94, and a poster for Obama's presidency. This poster stated "Migration is beautiful", and also digged deeper about the places she traveled. Once she went to Mexico city for 2 years, where she learned about the indigenous culture and history of different groups. She said this trip had completely changed her life, and led to her creating artwork which honored her indigenous and african roots.

Week 7: Graffiti is art

After reading "Graffiti is art" by Charles Bojorquez, I've come to the understanding that graffiti is not only just a work of art, it is also a form of creative expression. When a lot of people hear the word 'Graffiti' they often look at it in association with gangs, violence, and rebellion.  For instance, on pg 119, Bojorquez states "anti-graffiti forces demonize youth as the worst of society's evils, and worthy of being sent to prison". There may be a negative connotation of the word "graffiti" to some people, but for others it is how they can connect themselves to their soul and feed the spirit.

In my neighborhood, there is not a lot of graffiti, but when I walk to the community parks, or to the bathroom, I see it and understand why it would be looked at as vandalism. Maybe there's some who do it for that reason, and others who don't have any other space to make their art. I think a non-profit org or some community space for a lot of youth to express their art would be really beneficial. In addition, it's something that they can hold on to and nourish for the rest of their lives.

When a graffiti artist is painting, it's almost like an out of body experience. Whether it's on a wall or canvas, they can find themselves fully immersed themselves in the creative process. I've never done graffiti before, but I participate in other forms of art. This includes playing music, participating in theater, and drawing from time to time. Every time I make something through a form of art, I feel much more refreshed than before. 

Week 6: What is Rasquashismo?

 

    After reading "Domesticana: The sensibility of Chicana Rasquachismo", I have come to a further understanding of Rasquachismo. I learned of Rasquachismo before in another Chicano studies class. I have seen it in comedies such as Culture Clash, and in real life situations as well. The definition of Rasquachismo is being able to make due with the limited resources you have to produce something useful. In other words, it is a way of surviving.

    A personal example I have for Rasquachismo is this story my grandma told me about my great grandfather. Her family was a hard working, lower class chicana family. Years ago, he took his hands, bricks and concrete to build a house for his family. His children used sticks and stones to make different kinds of toys. They made dolls, action figures, and wands. I thought about how in that time with limited access to supplies, families tried to do the best with what they could and used their survival instincts. In addition, it builds a sense of resilience and empowerment when you see what you were able to create. With Rasquachismo, you have that underdog perspective. 

Week 5: La Virgen de Guadalupe

 

    In my experience with "La Virgen de Guadalupe", she has been everywhere in my life. Since I am Mexican and catholic, I have been exposed to various images from my cultura such as La Virgen de Guadalupe. At my grandma's house, she has paintings all over the place of La Virgen de Guadalupe, paintings that she did or pictures. In addition, I have a statue of La Virgen de Guadalupe in my house. I also have a little picture on my bed. Whenever I walk down the stairs, she is the first thing I see every morning. When I first saw La Virgen de Guadalupe, I thought it was beautiful. She appeared enlightened and holy. I never thought much about it, but as I continue to read and see more artworks of La Virgen de Guadalupe, I grow more appreciative of her image. I learned of her significance when my father told me the story behind her, how she appeared to Juan Diego and was a symbol of faith and holiness. 

Another thing I think of is this show called "La Rosa de Guadalupe", based on La Virgen de Guadalupe.  Every episode, someone is dealing with a problem or a person misbehaving. Whenever it reaches it's peak, a white rose appears. This signifies that they are in need, and that La virgen will help them. Over the course of the episode, the audience can see the influence of La Virgen de Guadalupe on someone who needs her. Towards the end of the show, they learn their lesson and thank La virgen de Guadalupe for helping them. Watching this show by myself or with a friend, I always enjoy seeing how the conflict is resolved. 

Week 4- Denver Art Museum Panel Discussion

 

    On January 19th, 2021, the Denver Art Museum held an exhibition with Diego Rivera, Frida Kahlo and on Mexican Modernism. It included various Chicanx artists who presented their art in a slide show, as well as the meaning behind their art pieces. Common themes were on identity, cultura, and meaning behind the artwork. The artists in the panel included Alma Lopez, Pablo Helguera, and Damian Ortega. 

    Prof. Alma Lopez discussed how her Chicanx Queer identity reflects in her artwork. Pablo Helguera, a new york based artist, talked about Public art. His art is mainly shown through sculptures, drawings and performances. In addition, he does some musical performances as well. What really got me going was when Pablo talked about his social change art for the BLM movement. His intention was to challenge society to not stay silent, and to challenge these racial injustices. This was influenced by his uncle, who made a uncle sam piece promoting people to stay silent about the war going on. The irony of this is there are still wars going on today. Whether it's in politics, environment, or the BLM movement. All in all, the overall framework was on reclamation and cultural appropriation. 

Week 3: Alba Paramo

 

The artist I chose for this week is Chicana artist Alba Paramo. On her website, Paramo describes her art as "brewed in Latin American symbolism, mythology, literature, and cultural history. She is inspired by her heritage, cultura and love of nature. Most of her art work is open-ended. Whenever someone sees one of her artworks, her intention is for that person to interpret and discover their own meaning of what they see. Paramo, who currently resides in Amsterdam, made this painting called "Yolotl", Nahuatl for heart. It is a piece taken place at night with a woman surrounded by nature and a magical majestic animal.

Week 2: Q&A with Claudia Zapata

 

Will traditional art ever be replaced by digital art? Why or why not?

    I believe that traditional art will never be truly replaced. Traditional art has been around for a long time, used by so many great artists of color. The way art is viewed has changed over the years, influenced by social media and blogs. At the heart of it, is made with intention by the artist. For instance, Julio Salgado uses blogs to shine a light on latinx immigrants who are looked down upon by society. One way to look at it is both art forms have the potential to be as impactful as the artist wishes to be. They can also learn a thing or two from one another. For someone who can't afford to go to an art museum, they can go on their phones and surf the web looking at various Chicanx/Latinx artists. Vice versa, there are a lot of traditional latinx artists in Los Angeles, and I believe the community could put together a display of beautiful artworks.

Both art forms complement each other so well. One can change to appear in one form, while the other can be made to look traditional. Meanwhile, the audience gets treated to the development and transformation of art in general. The other day I was scrolling on the app store, and I saw there are so many drawing applications! A lot of them were targeted towards kids, and then I saw some for young adults and I was intrigued. As I think about it, with the advancement of technology, people can grow their artistic sides more than ever before. There are tablets dedicated to drawing, and a pencil to trace over the tablet. I believe it is truly amazing, and something that people should look into while we endure this pandemic.

Covarrubias, Joaquin (Joaquin)

Hello everyone!

My name is Joaquin Covarrubias, I was born and raised in Salinas, CA. My pronouns are he, him and his. These days I like to go for walks, listen to music and play musical instruments. I am also a 3rd year student at UCLA. I am transferring from San Jose City College, majoring in Chicana/o studies and looking to double major. I am considering going to law school or grad school for a masters after graduation. 

I have taken Digital Art before but had not taken a Chicana/o art class. I am very intrigued by the content we will be learning. It is easy to look at murals and photographs, but it is a whole thing to analyze and describe the meaning behind it, including a digital image. What I find intriguing about this class is the opportunity to learn about digital actitvism and new knowledge. 

In terms of this week's reading, it was a great introduction to learning about how Chicana artists involved themselves to become part of a movement for change. Their work not only empowered them, but also those in underserved communities. It impacted people's lives, communities and those whose voices couldn't be heard. In addition, the Chicano movement was where artists used their skill, voice, and characteristics to advocate for change and assemble people. Chicana artists create powerful images to capture the attention of the public. When the eye of the public was caught, voices were allowed to serve their purpose, which was to educate those around them and magnify the change.