Robles, Harlow (Reflection)

As I reflect on when this class started, I remember thinking that I was going to learn about art and how to interpret it. I thought it wasn’t going to be that challenging or even life changing. Instead, when the class was asked to write a blog to introduce ourselves and to write about the article we read "why aren't there more female artist" the class became more interesting to me. Then when we were asked to make a Wikipedia page for an unknown Chicana artist, I thought to myself," What did I get into!" How am I going to make a wiki page, I’m not that good at using a computer! So as the class progressed and I did the readings, I realized a lot of things that I didn't know before about Chicano culture. I used to think that a Chicano was a Mexican born in America. I now know it's a Latino who does not have an Anglo-Saxon image of themselves. In addition, it's more than that. It's an attitude and way of life. Through the readings in the Yolanda and Carmen books. I saw both side: The activist side and the family side from a Chicana point of view. I didn't even know that Chicana's were not being recognized like their male counterparts. The reading really made me think about women rights and the struggles that Latinos have gone through to get where we are today, Chicana art is exactly what that represents. I am glad that I took this class because it helps me to understand that Chicana women have a voice too. I can hear them through their art. In the beginning of class, I also wondered why “There aren’t many female artist”. I think that now I know why. Thankfully with the wiki project, that question won’t have any significance.

Robles, Harlow Presentation

The presentation that I enjoyed this week was from Itzcally Hernandez. Her artist Monica Martinez caught my attention when I saw the three painting's that she had created. Looking at the anatomy of the painting made me wonder why the artist would consider this art. I figured it was because she uses sea shells and other things to bring out more substance to the painting. I realized that that artist is seeing these figures in third dimension. Another thing I found interesting was the way in which the artist talks to her subjects, even if they are insects, she asked them if they would like to be painted. This is interesting because it tells me she really wants to capture everything about her subjects. The anatomy of the moth that she painted looks amazing and is very detailed. The second painting of the human anatomy is also amazing. She really pays attention to detail in all her works. The background has an ancient look that connects the moth to its origins before becoming an adult. Almost to what the Egyptians did when they used Hieroglyphs in their writings. That is what the background reminded me of. Going on her web page I noticed that she is well educated and has even been commissioned to paint prints for Notre Dame. I really enjoyed this artist and her painting.

Robles, Harlow

The presentation that I liked the most was from Martha Ramirez. It caught my attention because her paintings was titled " Mother Earth" and it was a depiction of the head of a woman buried under dirt who was looking up and blowing life into the world above. The is a reminder to me of how women in general are seen as life giver because they are able to carry a living being inside of them and give birth. Martha used that fact to remind her viewers that Earth is giving us the opportunity to live by breathing life into humanity. A lot of her paintings show that women are important in the life giving process of the world. When Hector was explaining how her paintings are grounded on culture and nature it caught my attention because not many people today think about how their actions are affecting the world we live in. We act as if we have somewhere else to go if we destroy this world. When I went on her website, she has a lot of other depictions of women playing a central role in the world. They play the parts of the elements. For example, the "Four Corners" is another depiction of four elderly lady's heads blowing down on earth from the four corners of the world. Martha also is in tune with her culture as she continues to speak the tradition Nahuatl language. This is a language the certain tribes in Mexico still use to communicate with. To me her art is a call for action/ activism for us to do what we can to help the planet heal so that our future does not end with us. I am inspired by her art to do my part and become part of the solution and not the problem. Hector did a great job in presenting her to us.

Robles, Harlow (Artist presentation blog)

 

Graciela Carrillo (Las Mujers Muralistas 1974)

I enjoyed all the presentations; they were informative on the artist and their art. I was surprised to learn that my classmates were able to obtain good information and background on their artist.  Jacqueline Torres and her presentation on artist Graciela Carrillo was well done.  I did not know that Jacqueline’s artist was part of a group of Chicana muralist called “Las Mujers Muralistas”. The Chicanas worked together to create “Latino America”. They all put a little of their knowledge and spirit into the mural to depict Latino culture. To be honest, I really didn’t think that there were so many Chicana female artists that were creating murals so I was a little surprised when Jacqueline mentioned that. So, not only does her artist paint murals but she also connected with other Latinas who paint them as well.

In the mural “Latino America” that located in San Francisco, I can see how Latino culture is represented. In Latin culture, corn is a valuable source of energy used to be used to trade, and in the mural it’s the plant that sticks out the most. The medicine man looks like he is praying for good crops as the other natives bring gifts. In the center of this depiction, there is a circle with what looks like a family. To me this means that the sacrifices my people made in the past are what made it possible for my family to be here today. In Latino culture, family is important and in the mural I can see at least four representations of family. There is so much that Jacqueline’s artist is saying in this mural about Latino culture from how it used to be to the present day. The colors that Graciela used are bold so they make the mural stand out. The mural looks huge and I hope to one day visit SF and take a look at this wonderful piece of art and history for myself.

La Revuelta Mujers Armadas

 

Armed women, Mujers Armadas

I have never seen a performance done on zoom before so, joining this webinar was new to me. When the presentation started, I did not know what to expect. It began with a drum beat. I saw that the person making the beat was using a knife and other used what utensils they had in their hands. The dialogue was all in Spanish.

Then four women wearing mask started to talk about the kind of riot they were going to have and what they were fighting for. To me it seemed like these women were upset with how they were being stereotyped as weak. They wanted to show that they could be strong and fight for what they believed in. They talked about the reasons why their faces were covered, and it was because they represented everyone, not just one specific group. They said that they did not want to use guns to fight, that they wanted to use knifes. They chanted that they wanted to be the knife. I guess that means that they wanted to be able to cut deep and thin without making too much noise like a gun would do. They started to cut up bananas and cucumbers that had papers with words written on them. The words were written in Spanish and translated to English by the captions. The word were words that make a person insecure. Then they cut up the fruits as if breaking through any insecurities they might have. Then after the presentation, the women were asked how they came up with the webinar. One of them said that La Revuelta was created to speak out against the injustice done to women. All the women in the presentation are feminist and they are all Central American from Guatemala. They did not know about each other until the pandemic hit and they met up on social media. They became good friends and decided to use their time to speak out and show that women have power too.

To me, I really enjoyed the presentation and was able to learn about how women think and feel in other parts of the world. The presentation was creative and that is why it will be taking place in New York, once the women get approved for their visa’s.

Robles, Harlow (Claudia Zapata)

Painted Art has changed since the Lascaux prehistoric cave paintings in France. In prehistoric times, people would use the walls of caves and soot to display the daily life of those times. As time passed and people kept evolving new methods to display their ideas and views paintings on canvas took form and different artwork started to developed. Artist started to make sculptures, write literature, perform in theater, etc... During the 1960's and 70's, the way we view art started to change again, especially the way  Chicano/a art was displayed. 

In the 1960's and 70's, Chicanx art went from posters and murals to the digital screen. Technological advances allowed for digital displays of art. One displayed that changed the way bugs on crops are killed was created by Barbara Carrasco and is titled "Pesticides". She used the digital platform to reach out to the millions of people who walk on Times Square in New York and bring awareness about the treatment of farm workers with the use of pesticides, cautioning that we should be aware of what farms are doing to the crops that we eat. This form of art makes it possible for an artist to reach people all over the world, regardless, or their social or economic background. So not only will the upper social classes be able to view beautiful displays of art, but so will the people who can't afford to visit museums or art exhibits. In addition, Chicano/a's are using this platform to make people more aware of the social injustice that takes place in all community's and with all people of color. As I read the article, I realized that digital art is being used in many different ways to reach out to the community and it's faster to make than the traditional pieces we would normally see. 

Robles, Harlow (Xandra Ibarra)

 

Xandra Ibarra is an interdisciplinary artist that also goes by the name, "La Chica Boom". When I first went through her page, I thought her art was interesting. I immediately knew she was voicing the social oppression women face by being objectified so I decided to view her art with an open mind. Her art is extreme and might make some feel a little uncomfortable but I figured that was the reaction she was hoping to get from her viewers. The piece that I liked was: Turn around sidepiece. In this video, I saw a rock that turned around in a 360-degree spin. On top of the rock was a naked woman who was moving around on top of the rock as the rock was spinning. I could not see her face because her long hair was covering it. That could be a representation of of how women are not seen except for their bodies. As she moved on the rock, she would place herself in certain positions that were sexual but not in a way that was being seductive, more like demonstrating. I looked at her nakedness as something normal, not something to be desired. As I analyzed the piece more, I thought to myself that the rock could be a representation of Earth and the spinning of the rock as the days going by. The lady on the rock is the side piece that someone is using, and she knows it, and that is why in some of her positions she is just casually sitting up as if she is in deep thought. Apparently, as the side piece she doesn't have anywhere to go so she just continues where she is at. 

 

My question to Xandra would be, what inspired her to show nakedness in mobility?  

Robles, Harlow ( Wiki Draft )

Melquiades Dominguez (born October 14, 1978) is a muralist, painter, feminist Chicanx activist, visual artist who lives in the city of South Tuscon, Arizona. Melquiades, who started off painting as a graffiti artist goes by the graffiti name of Melo. They sometimes use a shorter version of their full name and go by Mel. Melo, is known for their exhibits in Arizona and California. Specifically, Viva La Causa in Los Angeles and Calacas, Time of Corn in Phoenix.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Dominguez is a Chicanx artist who was born in Glendale on October 14, 1978 and raised in El Sereno, California located in the  South East part of Los Angeles. Their preferred pronouns are ( They/ Them/ Theirs). Mel has Mexican heritage from their mother who is from Aguas Caliente and their father who is from Sinaloa. As a child, Mel was raised primarily by their grandparents, their grandfather was the one who played an important role in Mel's development of being able to communication through the use of visual arts. The grandfather also introduce Mel to the Library. Many of Mel’s artworks are depictions of the experiences they had growing up with in East Los Angeles. As a young adult, Mel would hang out on the streets and associate with graffiti artist which eventually led them to becoming a graffiti artist. During this time is when Mel's artistic creativity took shape. Mel was able to compete in the painting of murals just like any other graffiti artist counterpart.

ART

Speaking for the dead

In 2015, University of Arizona forensic anthropologist, Laura Fulginiti, is helping the decease migrants who crossed the US-Mexican border speak by giving them an identity and figuring out their cause of death. By making an exhibit that is hands on and allowing guest to feel the bones (no actual human bones are used) they get a realistic experience of the investigative process. Adding to the gallery are the works of Visual Artists, Melo Dominguez, Cristina Cardenas, Tavo Barrios, Jose Benavides, Marco Antonio Galaviz, Ruben Galicia, Zarco Guerrero, Martin Moreno, Mary Ann Rodrigues-Veatch, Irma Sanchez, And Annette Sexton-Ruiz. The creative paintings and sculptures of these Chicano/a artists brings political and social awareness to the dangerous risk people take when crossing the US/ Mexican border.

Las Gitanas

In 2013, "Las Gitanas" is a painting by Melo that was presented in the Tohono Chul Park's Dia De Los Muertos group show. Melo says that the painting " is a representation of the celebration of the welcoming of the dead, in addition the celebration of culture, life, food and entertainment." At this event, Melo was able to present other art work that they had been working on to represent the culture and traditions of the Mexican people.

REFRENCES

2015 Speaking for the Dead, ASU School of Human Evolution & Social Change, Innovation Gallery, Tempe AZ2013 Dia de los Muertos, Tohono Chul Park Gallery, Tucson, AZ

2013 Dia de los Muertos, Tohono Chul Park Gallery, Tucson, AZ

FURTHER READING

(https://tucson.com/news/local/netos-tucson-chicanx-artist-makes-her-mark/article_3dccc673-a8da-5e2a-bcb8-72e50fedaf1a.html)

http://3storymagazine.com/mel-dominguez/

EXTERNAL LINK

galeriamitotera@gmail.com

http://melodominguez

Robles, Harlow

In the book titled “Carmen Lomas Garza” by Constance Cortez, Carmen paints a picture of these two young girls laying on the roof of their home looking up at the sky. While on the roof top, one is pointing up at the sky while the other is relaxing. While they are doing this, through a window in the home there is a woman holding out a pink bed sheet, as if she is doing housework, and folding it. This picture reminds me of my own family and the things we used to do together.  For example, as children my brother and I used to climb a tree that is in the back yard of the house we lived in. We played in that tree for hours and would sometimes use it to climb the roof of our home. Growing up we didn’t have many toys so we would use anything to play with. Playing on that tree, we had so much fun, and it took us away from the reality we lived in.

In the painting however, Carmen isn’t just painting two girls on a rooftop while their mother is doing laundry. She is also making a statement about how she saw her life in her home. What I mean is this, the girls on the roof are young, so here they are looking up at the moonlit sky with so many dreams of success and adventure. At the same time their future is already predestined in that they will be like the lady in the window who probably did the same thing these girls did and climbed a roof and thought about her future. Instead, she is inside the house attending to her domestic duties. Because there are no men in the painting, it can be assumed that they are out working and having the adventures that these two young girls are dreaming about having but never will.

Robles, Harlow

In the article “Rasquachismo” by Tomas Ybarra-Frausto he defines rasquache as someone whose social class is at the bottom, who would be considered an underdog ( not most likely to win at something), or someone resourceful that will make something old and useless into something new and attractive. A person, place, or thing can be considered rasquache.  So rasquache can not be defined or categorized as one thing. It could have a different meaning to each individual person, depending on their perception of the world around them and of themselves. 

For me, when I read that article I thought it was funny because I kept thinking to myself that the article was written about me! I kept thinking to myself, how does this guy know how my family thought as I was growing up? I could totally relate to how he said that “rasquache is the underdog perspective, a view of “los de abajo”. Growing up in South Central Los Angeles, I knew we did not have much so whatever we could make new and reuse we would. That made my family very resourceful and gave us a skill that not many have. This means that perception is very important when we look at material objects or how we judge people. Rasquache is something that only the lower class would understand or know about. For Tomas to write that people in other social classes would think of the word “Chicano” as synonymous to rasquache is just another way of putting the male Chicano down. So if being titled Chicano is a put down, I can only imagine what a Chicana who is considered a “Domesticana” must be going through. Not only are they from the low bottoms, but they are also anchored at home by their family and domestic duties. This article for me was insightful and enlightening. 

The side view of my Family home
Rasquache all the way!!

Robles, Harlow ( Mel Melo Dominguez) Abstract

 2015 Speaking for the Dead, ASU School of Human Evolution & Social Change, Innovation Gallery, Tempe AZ

(https://shesc.asu.edu/museums/innovation-gallery)

In this article, University of Arizona forensic anthropologist, Laura Fulginiti, is helping the decease migrants who crossed the US-Mexican border speak by giving them an identity and figuring out their cause of death. By making an exhibit that is hands on and allowing guest to feel the bones (no actual human bones are used) they get a realistic experience of the investigative process. Adding to the gallery are the works of Visual Artists, Melo Dominguez, Cristina Cardenas, Tavo Barrios, Jose Benavides, Marco Antonio Galaviz, Ruben Galicia, Zarco Guerrero, Martin Moreno, Mary Ann Rodrigues-Veatch, Irma Sanchez, And Annette Sexton-Ruiz. The creative paintings and sculptures of these Chicano/a artists brings political and social awareness to the dangerous risk people take when crossing the border. 

Arizona Daily Star, Neto Portillo Jr. “Neto’s Tucson: A Chicanx artist makes her mark”, November 30, 2019 

(https://tucson.com/news/local/netos-tucson-chicanx-artist-makes-her-mark/article_3dccc673-a8da-5e2a-bcb8-72e50fedaf1a.html)

In this news article, editor of La Estrella de Tucson, Ernesto Portillo writes about a Los Angeles Chicana artist that has made a name for herself in his hometown of Tucson, Arizona. Mel "Melo" Dominguez who was born and raised in East Los Angeles made her way to Tucson after battling health issues and financial needs. Dominguez started her artistic career as a young graffiti artist who would paint mural all over the city of Los Angeles. Being in the streets, Dominguez was able to see the need to help young artist who were struggling with money issues and having a place to call home. In 2007, Dominguez and her wife Melissa Brown-Dominguez moved to Tucson to start fresh. Unfortunately, Tucson wasn't at its peak economically and the world was changing. A new law came out, SB1070, that was a direct attack on the immigrants and Latinos living in Arizona. This motivated Dominguez's political/social views and her artistic hand. She opened her own art gallery in 2018, Galeria Mitotera, which she used to helped up and coming artist to display their artworks and to be a resource for community members. 

Robles, Harlow

For many, the image of the "Virgen de Guadalupe'' means something special. It is a symbol of hope and protection in a world full of corruption and deceit. Where did this image come from and why is it symbolic?

From my understanding, "La Virgen'' is first mentioned in the New Testament of the Holy Bible. In a world that is unholy and full of greed and deception, The Angel Gabriel appears to a virgin named Mary and explains that she is to have a child, without knowing a man sexually, and that this child is going to save the world from itself. As it is written, Mary then gives birth to Jesus who is the Savior of the world.

After the Spanish settled in Mexico, they shared their traditions and religious beliefs with the indigenous people. The Spanish taught them about the Virgin Mary and the things she represented. One day, a native girl named Guadalupe, was walking on a hillside and claims to have seen the image of the Virgin Mary who spoke to her. Hence the name, Virgen de Guadalupe or the Virgen of Guadalupe.

Throughout my life, I have seen this image painted on walls, in movies, or just hanging in the most odd places. What have been my experiences with the image of La Virgen? To be honest, I can not write that I’ve had many. I do honor the Virgin Mary for the role she played in the scriptures, however I don't  see her the way most people might, as a beacon of hope and protection. I see the paintings and drawings and I admire them for how the artist depicts them. I am glad that some people do find a sense of hope and security in the paintings.

Mel "Melo" Dominquez

 

• Duran, Kimberly (Santa Ana, CA)
• Cristina Cardenas

Robles, Harlow (Harlow)

My name is Harlow Robles. I prefer to be called by my first name Harlow and my preferred pronouns are he/him. I am of Guatemalan descent and was born and raised in South Central Los Angeles. I am a first year transfer student majoring in psychology. I chose psychology as a major because human and animal behavior, and their thought process, are interesting to me. The way in which certain people perceive the world around them and the reasoning behind their beliefs, has made me think about my own beliefs and why I have them. Are they innate or conditioned by the environment? In addition, I would like to work as a psychologist in order to help people who are struggling with mental health issues and who have made similar life choices as I have. I hope to obtain my B.A. in the next two years and start working for the Department of Mental Health. If all goes well, I would like to continue gaining a higher education and eventually obtain my PhD and become a Clinical Psychologist.

I am currently working nights for a non-profit organization that is helping people who are experiencing homelessness get the resources they need in order to obtain housing. It is not a shelter, it’s more of a recuperative care facility. While working there, I have been able to build relationships with a diverse group of co-workers and clients. I have also learned about the daily struggles that people experiencing homelessness face. 

Why am I taking this course? The reason I am taking this course is to learn more about the diversity in my culture and the way Chicana/o artists express themselves through art. I have friends and family who are graffiti artists. Since attending community college, I have learned that people have been expressing themselves through art for thousands of years. I used to think that graffiti art was different from the painting one would see in a museum. It didn't dawn on me that it was a way for graffiti artists to express their thoughts about the world they live in.  For me, I am hoping this course is going to help me understand the thinking behind Chicano/a art.