We Will Meet

We will meet 

We will meet 

Materials Used:

I used Corn leaves, pictures I printed out and then cut up to recreate something new, pictures from random magazines I found, crayons, and sharpies. I wanted to paint most of the background but had no access to paint. 

Left Side:

Fetus growing from soil: I wanted this to represent me as a fetus “growing” from my roots literally. Although I was born there, I have no memories of my homeland and it is something that has been missing from my identity because although I am from there… I have never consciously experienced any memories there.

Corn Leaves: In Mayan Culture, it is said that they created people out of corn, it was also used as a harvest that helped them survive for generations. It is a staple to Guatemalan culture and we see that with tortillas. Growing up a simple meal would be tortillas with a pinch of salt. 

Letters, Gun, Poster & Coffin: There was never a civil war in guatemala, it was a genocide that the guatemalan government and the israeli government agreed upon. It was ethnic cleansing of over 200,000 Indigenous people. The same “war” my grandparents, parents and family survived. Many people were kidnapped and killed. Women were as well sexually assaulted. Due to this I have a lot of family members who have been killed or kidnapped. I can never relate to everyone else who has family pictures  (most going way back) or has met their extended family. My mother and her parents had to hide their family pictures under a rock so the soldiers would not be able to find them. In hopes of finding them when they came back they were washed up by the harsh rain days later. I have never seen a picture of any of my grandparents let alone have met them.

2 Women & 1 Panther face: The faceless woman represents my family members I never got the chance to meet before they passed away. The panther face represents my perceivement of my grandmother on my mother’s side. Although I have never met her or seen what she looks like, from what my mom tells me she seemed like a strong, assertive woman who never let anyone tell her what to do but in fact she was the one to tell others. Panthers are native animals to Guatemala. 

Devil, Eye & Preacher: this represents colonization of my ancestors, because of their own beliefs they were deemed as evil and practicing satanism in the colonizers eyes. Which Is why I added the eye to the preacher’s body. 

Middle:

Fetus Womb & Butterflies: My mother tells me the story of how I was born and what she got told by her midwife who still practiced the mayan religion, she had told her that I was born to be a healer because of a specific webbing around my head when I was born. 

Two people walking towards the fetus: I used this to portray my parents immigrating with me, although I was already born by that time. To me it feels like I was still in that state of unconsciousness because I do not remember anything before I was 5 years old. 

Left Side: 

Eyes and American Flag: represent me, one eye looking up towards the flag and the other directly to the right side. I am in a country where I do not feel like I am from or feels like home to me. When looking to the right side, I want to learn more about my family's past and wish I had met them.
Faceless girl: most times I am still searching for the real me or who I am and how I want to present myself. 

Guitar: My grandfather was a violinist, my mother always talks about it and it makes me feel special and closer to him knowing that I love music and have a big appreciation for it because no one else in the family does. 

How does your project address the themes we have been discussing? 

My project addresses themes found in Frida Kahlo’s paintings and Hannah Höch's artwork. Frida Kahlo explored her identity, pain, loss and feeling out of place from her homeland, Although not exactly having her experience. My work included these themes and Hannah Höch’s piece called “ Cut with a kitchen Knife”. During this time she made a statement about the politics going on and the “Anti-Dada’s”. 

How does contemporary media play a role in identity, cultural and societal norms?

Contemporary media plays a major negative role in identity, cultural and societal norms, we are constantly being pushed advertisements towards us. We are their products. Many people tend to follow current trends without a second thought because it is what we do to fit in with the rest. It makes people more self conscious about themselves, we are always getting advertisements from companies, celebrities or influencers who tell us their “secret” to staying young, have healthy flawless skin, lose weight, get rid of imperfections. Most people do not realize these are people who can afford to get those expensive hair treatments, skin care, surgery, botox whenever they’d like. There is also a lot of propaganda that gets out there and every one will collectively agree because the majority are also agreeing, instead of researching first. 

INFLUENCES:

My Grandparents My Parents and Me, 1936 by Frida Kahlo

The Two Fridas, 1939 By Frida Kahlo

What The Water Gave Me By Frida Kahlo

Cut With A Kitchen Knife, 1923, Hannah Höch

How do these influence our view of ourselves and each other? How are these themes addressed in the work of the artists we learned? Please explain your project and its meaning

These themes are addressed in the work of all the artists we learned about, For example Frida Khalo’s painting “Self-Portrait with Cropped Hair '' she challenges gender norms, we see her in a suit showing off her independence and assertiveness. I was inspired by Frida Kahlo and Hannah Höch’s artwork. as I was brainstorming. I wanted my project to capture identity, loss, immigration & pain. Although I was not born in the United States I also was not raised in my homeland. My parents immigrated here when I was just 2 years old. 

How did advertising and fashion images influence or get addressed in your piece?

I did not gain a lot of influence or address much fashion in my piece, although I did use some patterns of a traditional Guatemalan “Corte" which is a Mayan woman’s traditional skirt. It did inspire me to look up more Guatemalan fashion and I stumbled upon Martine Gutierrez a Trans Latina Artist from Guatemalan and American descent whose work also includes themes on how identity is formed, expressed, and perceived. 

How does your project speak to your identity and your relationship to media images?

My project speaks to my identity because it relates to my own struggles of figuring out who I am and what I want to present myself. As well as the journey I’ve had to get where I am and growing up as the only child raised here in the United States and how others perceive me due to it. 

3 Quotes:

“This densely populated work is difficult, if not impossible, to take in all at once. Though complex, it is worth digging in here to understand the cast of characters and what they tell us about the work and the larger thematics of Berlin Dada”.

“People have described her as broken and fragile, but she was strong and accomplished a tremendous amount in her lifetime.”

“She loved going to the movies in New York, but it's great disparities of wealth were eye-opening,”