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Curatorial Rationale
My exhibition is designed from issues relating to sacrifice, limitations, and relationships that show the hardships Chicanas are forced to go through. My intention for this art exhibition is to visually demonstrate a Chicana’s path of realization. Which is realizing that it is not the fault of the individual, but the pressure she faces from culture. This will be explored by having all of my artworks reveal the untold perspectives of being a Chicana. This exhibition is inspired by Patssi Valdez’s use of layering and color. For the viewer, I show the negative layers to each situation, while trying to find the positive within the emotional connection to culture, through color. This exploration allows the viewer to witness the different layers of being a Chicana.
The exhibition is intentionally organized to allow the viewer see how the artworks develop a relation between theme and style, within the given space. Therefore, I have chosen to display eight out of the thirteen artworks created, since these artworks have a stronger connection to the theme of realization and untold perspectives. I have cut out the other artworks from the exhibition because they did not relate to the use of layers or the color choices. This way the viewer will become deeply intertwined with a Chicana’s path of realization, as if they were visually and emotionally experiencing it too.
Using the display place given, the viewer will enter from the left, so the viewer will examine the artworks from left to right. Therefore, I purposely portrayed the visual path of realization from left to right. The viewer will see the story of a young Chicana, and it starts with her birth and relationship with her grandmother, in Recuerdos. Recuerdos is the smallest piece, so it needs help being emphasized, thus I placed it at direct eye level and will be the first artwork the viewer sees. As they continue to follow the top four artworks, from left to right, they will see her age, in using her as the artwork subject.
In Expectativas, the Chicana is a child being pressured by expectations. In Arrinconada, she is older and suffering from self limitation. Then, the viewer will see her trying to be an adult and letting go of all the negative events through positive energy, in Escapando. The lower three artworks Cocina, Tradicional, and Encubriendo use inanimate objects to represent the places where negative events happened, but the objects possess positive energy.
Most of my artworks have layers to them, overlapping paper or using acrylic’s ability to cover old markings by creating new markings on top. In Recuerdos the use of paper collage represents the layers of warm memories. While in Encubriendo the layers of acrylic represent old memories being covered up by new memories. Encubriendo uses layers and Expectativas uses color, but both still express pressure by culture. Cocina is also about pressure and sacrifice of being a Chicana, in a domestic arena. The color choice of cool colors against warm colors in Encubriendo, Expectativas, and Cocina is representative of the negative event, but also the warm energy around the event. While the cool colors in Arrinconada, Cultural, and Tradicional focus solely on the negative events of limitations and sacrifice. Recuerdos and Escapando’s warm colors solely focus on the warm energy of memories and emotions.
As the viewer stands in front of all the artworks, the viewer will notice that they are arranged to form a heart shaped figure. Which is symbolic of the true identity of the Chicana as she finishes the path of realization and learns to let go. The overall heart shape is connected to the center artwork, Cultural, as both are relating to identity. However, when the viewers look at Cultural I want them to think about the Chicana’s identity. The viewers should be emotionally connected by feeling the intensity the Chicana felt as she struggled with her identity, due to culture. Lastly, feel a sense of relief when looking at the overall layout, since she was able to find herself through letting go of her culture and realizing she is not at fault. I want the viewers to leave knowing the importance of being true to oneself and escaping self-blame.
Recuerdos
Recuerdos
Stock photos, my own photos, construction paper, and exacto knife
21.8 cm × 21.8 cm
Recuerdos is about sacrifice and the relationship between generations. I used a picture of my grandmother holding me as a baby, combined with marigolds and a cut-out star in order to show how she cared for my new generation. The use of paper collage and warm colors represents the layers of positive emotions that came from those interactions. The use of dull warm colors creates the feeling of nostalgia, to remember the memories I made with my grandma. Mainly about her being a role model for me.
Available, minimum bid $10
Expectativas
Expectativas
Acrylic paint on canvas, pencil
60.9 cm x 45.6 cm
Expectativas is about the pressure a young Chicana faces. I adapted Mexican art making techniques of Alfredo Ramos Martinez, in the expression the child has. His techniques expose a dramatic expression in Mexican facial features. Such as long hair and strong outlining of the face. The use of blue as the background represents the pressure of culture, while culture is represented in the clothes the Chicana is wearing. I created emphasis on the child’s expression by contrasting yellow and blue.
Available, minimum bid $10
Arrinconada
Arrinconada
Mod podge, maseca, acrylic paint
40.4 cm x 50.8 cm
I placed Maseca, a traditional Mexican ingredient, on top of a layer of mod podge, on a blue and white background. The blue background represents stereotypes and how they fall on Chicanas. The lines add emphasis on the woman, who is holding her hands on top of her head in a submissive position, showing how she internalizes limitations and succumbs to them. This posture, combined with the use of maseca, shows how stereotypes and marginalization can hold Chicanas, like myself, back.
Available, minimum bid $10
Escapando
Escapando
Acrylic paint on canvas, pencil
45.7 cm x 60.7 cm
Escapando is about harnessing positive energy to let go of the negative aspects of a Chicana. The sunset in the background is symbolic of the end of self blame. The image of a Chicana is being distorted by taking out sections. Her hands are not shown, as she no longer marginalizes herself. The lack of facial features show the willingness to be someone other than what her culture stereotypes her to be. The use of warm colors shows the positive energy that is sent out.
Available, minimum bid $10
Cocina
Cocina
Acrylic paint on canvas, pencil
50.8cm x 40.6 cm
Cocina is used to express the overwhelming emotion a Chicana feels inside a household. The warm colors in the room express the warm memories that took place in the kitchen. The use of cool colors in the kitchen objects with spiral lines represent the excess of tasks/events a Chicana gets pulled into. The juxtaposition of these two atmospheres creates the perfective, from a Chicana. The flowers are representative of the vanishing of a Chicana in sacrificing herself for the males.
Available, minimum bid $10
Tradicional
Tradicional
Watercolor, watercolor paper, pencil
28 cm x 38.4 cm
This artwork represents the daily life of a Chicana. In Tradicional there are objects that are inside of a Chicanas household. For example the tortilla maker is representative of Mexican culture and the pumpkin is American culture. The composition in this artwork is key. The balance of size and color of each object represents the balance of both cultures. Yet the objects in the middle shelf represent how the Mexican culture can be demolished when the surrounding is the American culture.
Available, minimum bid $10
Encubriendo
Encubriendo
Acrylic paint on canvas
60.8 cm x 60.8 cm
This artwork represents the way culture hides their negative layers by creating new and better ones on top. Although the old markings are still visible, the new ones are what represent the future. The artwork consists of many marigold flowers overlapping each other while leaving the prettiest and liveliest ones on top. In Mexican culture marigolds are used on the Day of the Dead to guide spirits to their altar. Which represents that the past will be guided back to the present and will be there.
Available, minimum bid $20
Cultural
Cultural
Watercolor, waterpaper, exacto knife, acrylic paint
29.3 cm x 45.8 cm
To further explore collage I experimented by cutting out my own paper. I wanted to tell a story about my self abandonment. I began to act like someone I was not to fit in with my culture. The two hearts represent the parts of my identity. The heart underneath has a brighter value and is representative of my inner identity. As it is being broken apart and drifting away, it is being replaced by the darker one heart. In order for my heart to form a whole it had to change, just like how I changed.
Available, minimum bid $10
Contact the artist at Espifanny@gmail.com
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