What I learned this quarter

This quarter I learned that Art is not just about perfect lines and pretty circles. I learned that art can be political and it can have a message that many can relate to rather than just being a "pretty picture". I learned about so many beautiful Chicana artists who not only are able to be political with their art, but allow me to relate to someone. Being a Chicana, there is hardly any representation of brown women in hollywood as it is, and even less in some areas such as art. Most people have heard of Pablo Picasso or Andy Warhol but hardly anyone has heard of Sonya Fe or Carmen Lomas Garza. I learned that there are many different ways in which I can express myself and it doesn't have to be pretty, it can be rough and ugly and messy as long as it allows me to let out my emotions.

Chicana Printmakers

In her piece about Chicana printmakers, author Molly Barnet-Sanchez discusses the contributions of Chicanas to the movement. These many female artists have contributed to the movement with their symbolic and political art. Barnet-Sanchez discusses such Irene Perez, Linda Romero, Yolanda Lopez, Diane Gamboa, our own professor Alma Lopez, and many more. According to the author these women address many of their struggles and the construction of their identities.Through their art these artists are able to depict issues such as: racism, sexism, classim, homophobia, ethnocentrism, and religious prejudice  (118). Sanchez states that these women have been able to create an image of themselves and of other women of color through their printmaking. Not only are they able to address their own needs, but they are also able to build coalitions with others. One of the pieces that spoke to me the most was the one titled Women's Work is Never Done: Homenaje a Dolores Huerta (1995)done by Yolanda M. Lopez. This piece speaks to me because I think that it depicts the whole other group of people who's demands were not being listened to as much. Women not only have to go to work, but they also have the second shift to worry about. During this second shift they have to take care of their children, cook,and clean their homes. The work of a woman is truly never done.  

Yadira Sesmas Respose

Hi Yadira,

I too was intrigued by Laura Aguilar's photography. I think it's great that you mentioned that Laura breaks away from photographing the stereotypical skinny bodies we see in the fashion industry. I think a lot of people need to see these photographs and appreciate their bodies. Another way that I saw these photographs was that she was trying to portray that these bodies are completely natural. The pictures we see in magazines or billboards are heavily photo-shopped. None of those women actually look that way in real life. But the women in these photographs are portrayed how they are without any Photoshop, and in nature. I also think it's great that the women were large, but I mean it on the sense that this is never represented. I know that when I look at pictures of "plus-sized" models, these women still have flat stomachs or aren't big at all. Being average is not "plus-sized". All of these negative messages affect all of us even subconsciously and they're something that we have to deconstruct. I definitely think that all of the intersectionality in Laura's art helps her in her art. Being a queer woman of color in this country is hard enough, but also having body images issues makes it even worse. 

Sketchbook Cover

I must admit that I struggled when it came to find a symbol that was important for me. A symbol to represent, not only myself, but also the ideologies that are important for me. I wanted something that would represent my various identities as a woman, a Chicana, and a queer person. 

It was really hard for me to choose a symbol because growing up these identities didn't really matter to me. I grew up in a predominantly white community but at the same time diverse. I’m sure there was racism and sexism, but I didn't see it at the time. It wasn't until I came to UCLA last year that I began to critically analyze the world around me. I began to see the struggles that people of color, women, and queer individuals face in this country. For the first time in my life I feel like I have a voice, and that I have the tools and the knowledge to exercise that voice. It’s incredibly difficult to go back home and listen to my friends say racist, homophobic, and sexist things without cringing, but also trying to understand that they say these things because they've never had to deconstruct the forces within our society that has led us to think this way. I wanted my symbol to represent equality for all men, women, and those who don’t fit into the gender binary. Being a Sociology major, I know that gender is nothing but a social construction. I long to see the day where racism, homophobia, and sexism are no longer prevalent in our society.  

La Virgen

La Virgen de Guadalupe is an extremely important icon to my family just like it is for a lot of Mexican families. Ever since I can remember my parents, specifically my mother, have had pictured of Maria all over the house. Not only at home, but also in her purse, car, and on jewelry for on the go protection. My entire family is full of devout Catholics and every December 12th the altar in our living room is filled with roses and other flowers. I myself have never really been a religious individual even though my family was. I was judged and ostracized for not believing in something that I truly did not understand. I was forced to go to church, pray, and get on my knees to worship something that didn't really have any meaning in my life, until now. My mother La Virgen Maria was someone she could relate to, not only as a woman of color, but also as a mother. Every time my siblings and I had a big event coming up she would always say that she would pray to the Virgen to watch over us. It wasn't until very recently she has begun to respect my decision to not worship any deity, since to me organized religion has always been plagued by war and has been used as a backup for hate.  Now that I identify as Chicana, I don’t see Maria as just another deity, I see her as a symbol of resistance and syncretism.

Garcia, Gloria

My name is Gloria Garcia. I am  fourth year Sociology major and Chicana/Chicano studies minor.

Being a Sociology major and Chicana/o studies minor I am constantly reading about the lack of representation of women in various fields, including Art. Even when I was trying to decide which artist to do my presentation on I noticed how little information was available on some artist but ho much was available on male artists. After reading Gaspar De Alba's piece "Out of the House...The Mirror of Malichismo", I couldn't help but wonder how the representation has changed, if at all, since this essay was published. My question for Gaspar De Alba would be how we can make our voices heard in this patriarchal society? I mean for example myself who identifies as Chicana, feminist, as a woman of color, queer, and many others. In my Sociology of gender class we have talked about inersectionality which means that our different identities are never alone,but are always working with one another. For example one cannot just be a woman,our race and class also come into play in our daily interactions with others. With so much intersectionality in the different roles we have in our lives, are of our inner voices heard louder than others?

I think that it was crucial for us to be exposed to a piece such as There’s no place like Aztlan. The best part of the piece to me is when Gaspar de Alba argues that Chicana/os are not really at home here in the Unites States, but that Mexico isn’t really home either. I had never really thought about this before. I would ask Gaspar De Alba what she thinks the identity of Chicana/o means today and what she thinks it will mean to people in the future.

Artist for Presentation: Sonya Fe