Miriam Flores: 2nd Art Piece
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"Brown is Beautiful" artwork by Miriam Flores
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2019-12-15T20:53:49-08:00
With Flores’ second artwork, there is a continued message of struggle that goes one step forward. In this image, there are three individuals whose physical presentation and surrounding symbols make it Latinx art. Non-white skin colors and non-straight hair visually represent common features of a Latinx individual. Again, the symbol of a fist is present in this piece to reassert a Latinx person’s power and action. The other stances that the individuals take, of arms closed and a pose, are evocative of proud strength that say, “I am here.” The success of these three individuals is represented by the graduation cloth and cap, celebrating the progress and education of Latinx people. Finally, the flowers evoke a tropical setting, something that pays tribute to the Latin American countries that these people are from as well as their personal beauty. This beauty, as Flores confirms, is not only of their existence but also their ability to overcome hardship.
The final aspect of this artwork is the language that Flores has incorporated. With text, a clearer, less subjective meaning can be found within her art. There are three instances of text, once on a shirt and twice on posters. Each, by interacting with a different facet of the Latinx community, revisit the uniqueness that defines being Latinx. Especially considering that these slogans directly address Chicanas, a marginalized group within the Latinx community, skin color and beauty standards, and a message in Spanish, language is used here as activism. The idea that Latinx people face challenging circumstances, as Flores establishes in piece one, is echoed by the posters and t-shirt design. All of these uses of language are not a part of or embedded in the person who they are associated with. Rather, they are on things that people collected. This speaks to the agency that Latinx people have and the initiative that they take to achieve.
This image overall, taking symbols, language and technique into consideration, communicate a larger meaning. A background that goes from dark to light shows these individuals’ rise from darker, harder circumstances toward lighter and more hopeful ones. They exist between this darkness and light, in between the beige and bright yellow that indicate the United States and Latin American countries. The people in this art are front and center which shows that they are prominent and important in both spaces. Use of color engages the Latinx person’s finding of brightness not only in their future potential, but also in their current achievements.
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