"Brown is Beautiful" artwork
1 media/ezgif.com-gif-maker (3)_thumb.jpg 2019-12-15T18:43:09-08:00 Aleina Dume a13aba391e3937da535197bf51d990e0d55fbd34 35843 1 plain 2019-12-15T18:43:09-08:00 Aleina Dume a13aba391e3937da535197bf51d990e0d55fbd34This page is referenced by:
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2019-12-08T13:54:50-08:00
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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Conclusion: What Questions Remain?
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All three artists manage to reflect the Latinx experiences and those narratives as they have been captured by Latinx literature as well as mainstream media. Riojas, Flores, and Lukashevsky deal with issues of femininity, representation, immigration, and community. These artists subvert expectations in the use of color and symbols, while they also encode deeper meanings and confirm other long-held truths. In this way, all three reflect components of modern Latinx art. The difference between these artists, as previously mentioned, however, is that one does not explicitly identify as Latinx. I will now return to my guiding questions and explore answers that reflect my analysis of the five artworks.
Latinx art aims to represent and amplify the experiences of Latinx individuals. None of the artists contested this concept, as each incorporates symbols of Latin American, Latinx people, and their varied struggles. This reinforces my initial answer to the first question, in that all three artists prioritize Latinx narratives. Similarly, such a determination begins to address the second question of why Latinx art exists. There is a need for Latinx art given that there is a lack of Latinx representation. Art, along with literature and other texts, aim to close this gap and present a fuller, more colorful image of the Latinx experience and who a Latinx person can be. This brings me to my final question of, “Who can make Latinx art?” Although Lukashevsky does not identify as Latinx, she does not try to take the value or culture of Latinx people away through her art about them. Rather, Lukashevsky also propels Latinx narratives and uses her platform to do so. She happens to have a significantly higher number of followers and more press coverage than Riojas and Flores, which indicates that her platform has a positive influence on mainstream Latinx representation.
For the reasons that I have discussed, non-Latinx people like Lukashevsky can make art about Latinx people, with a few restrictions. First, they must accurately reflect the Latinx experience and advance said experience as opposed to their personal agenda or platform. Additionally, they must lead lives that incorporate Latinx values ranging from respect to equity. Otherwise, they are not true allies. While artists do not need to be allies, Lukashevsky is with her politically charged art and this activist stance makes her goals as an artist more aligned to Riojas and Flores. I urge people like Lukashevsky to also employ their platforms to highlight Latinx artists, especially if their art is about the Latinx community. Art made by and for Latinx communities remains the highest standard of Latinx art, though Latinx art by others confirms the Latinx community’s foundation that in difference there is value.