contemporary colors

Gender and sexual preference: Feminist Art: Voices of the Other

Upon reading this for the first time, I can say that I have not learned much about feminism and feminist art.  However, it is very important that everyone has an equal opportunity to express his or her ideas in any creative form.  It is horrible to think that women were classified as “inferiors” just because they were a different sex.  Women should posses the same rights just like men do, however, having a male-dominated society, this would not come to be an easy task.   How could women be deprived of their basic rights and put in check for so many years? It was not that long ago that women were not allowed to go to school or work for themselves.  It is just really difficult to fathom such suppression from our own government.  Reading this article I came across a lot of fascinating information.  It was interesting to see that feminism still lives today and continues to strive forward to gain equal rights among all women, no matter the color of their skin, sexual preferences, or religion.   That shows positive growth and will only help women in the future.  In addition, I like that during the second wave of feminism, women shifted their attention to their own bodies.  As stated in the article, women gained control of their “destinies” and their “bodies” and used that to reclaim their own identities among this male-dominated world.  The information I found most interesting was the feminist movement branched out into the art world.  Not only did women face adversity in society, but also now they aimed to tackle the “white cube” and set to challenge its ideals by creating new art forms such as decorative arts.  Moreover, when they were not permitted into the museums, feminism found “other” alternatives to have their voices heard, such as becoming a teacher, etc. As with like anything else, persistence pays off and this can be said that feminism gave all women their “identities” among a male-dominated society.

African American Culture

Upon reading this article, much of the information provided was something I for one, was somewhat already familiar with.   However, the article was able to provide me a much more concise history of the African American culture.  To begin with, the first thing that I found interesting was the fact that blacks were first seen as contracted employees known as “Bond Servants”.  It shocked me to learn that the American system justified their actions by giving slavery a different name.  How could America strip a human their rights and then classify the African-American community as “inferiors”? This fact is not only surprising to me, but it ridiculous.

The information I found most surprising to me was the fact that the government separated lower class whites and lower class blacks from forming a group against the higher-class citizens.  Fearing that both lower class whites and lower class blacks would unite and fight for similar reasons, the American society quickly ended any hopes of any group formation.  It is for this reason, that blacks were then completely separated and isolated from American society and labeled as “inferior”. In addition, during the 18th century European scientist further concluded that African-Americans were considered a sign of inferiority because of their color as it was seen as “the mark of God’s disfavor”.   As a result, religion had now furthered confirmed blacks as being inferior to all whites regardless of their class status.  It was for that reason, that slavery was accepted into the American culture and seen by many as a justified act.

To sum up, the article was very interesting and insightful.  The links were great because they provided more information and images that helped me understand the article a bit more.

 Native American Culture

As I first read this article, I was not surprised of how awful Native Americans were treated by early European settlers.  It sickens me to know that this is how America was founded on.  Moreover, it makes me somewhat ashamed that these acts of violence were allowed.  How can one country determine one’s culture or judge their way of life? Or worse get away with it?  These questions are were mainly left unanswered because Europeans found loopholes in the law system and found ways to exploit it in any way possible.  That being said, many Native American lives were taken away and were forced to relocate.  Having neither the manpower nor the technology, the Native Americans could not defend themselves or their wealthy land.  As a result, the Native American culture and land were now in severe jeopardy in the hands of the Europeans.  Consequently, the Europeans caused great damage to the Native Americans and of their lands rich resources.
Having read this article, I learn quite a bit of new information that I had not known before.  For example, I never realized how bad the Anglos wanted the Native Americans to vanish from their precious land and hope for total extinction.  The information that I found very interesting yet very disturbing was the fact that Anglos believed that it was in their god given rights for them to take away the Native American lands and use all of its rich resources.  Its surprising to think that the Anglos were entirely convinced that there was no other options than to simply take away everything from the Native Americans.  Since when did anyone have the rights to simply take away something from someone else? When did such a naïve way of thinking, begin to make sense to oneself?  These ideas were horrific from the start, and it comes to no surprise to me that this is how social order was created.   It was the foundation or perhaps a glimpse into the American culture.

Asian-American Culture

As prior to any other minority, the Asian Americans were also part of exploitation at the hands of Anglos.  Having been labeled great laborers and very inexpensive, Asian Americans were quickly hired by rich Anglos all across America to handle tough and dangerous jobs.  However, this ultimately proved to be how they were exploited.  How could only the Japanese be imprisoned and sent to concentration camps and not Germans and Italians? This action made absolutely no sense, as all three ethnicities were at war with the United States.   However, I believe that there was much more to the United States imprisoning the Japanese then simply because of their race.  Accordingly, It was mainly because the Japanese controlled most of the lucrative agriculture throughout the United States.  By enslaving the Japanese, this would allow the whites to take control of fields and in turn make large amounts of money.  Like stated before, it was easy as “American apple pie”.  Moreover, I also believe that having the Japanese do all the farms hard work was another strategy used by the Anglos to get it up and started, only to see it vanish it a short matter of time. The Japanese helped carry out all of the hard work, while the Anglos just stood back and waited for the right opportunity to take it away from  them.
It’s hard to imagine that still after the Japanese were enslaved, that the United States asked for their help during the war. Despite of being deprived of their human rights as citizens of this so-called “free” country, the Japanese still went to war.   This was mostly all new information for me and it was very surprising at the very least.  I could not fathom the idea of helping out a country in any way or form, after all their horrible actions towards my people.  Given that circumstances play a vital role in making one’s decision, no matter how desperate I could never see myself in that situation.

Because Anglos or white people have been in control for decades, it has just comes naturally to us that mainstream artists are usually white, very much like how the concept of “race” and is linked to European imperialism and colonialism and empire building, especially in the New World.  The art world has a long history of assuming the whiteness of art and of making the white nature of art invisible by excluding woman, people of color and hand craft making, which is associated with lower class artist. The key now for people of color is to make the Anglos aware of being white and all that whiteness entails and to examine exactly what “whiteness” really is. What the upper class Anglos did was they kept the lower-class whites and the Blacks and the Indians from uniting in a common cause against the upper class Anglos.  In order to maintain the power of the upper class whites, those in charge manipulated the lower class whites into working against their own economic best interests by training them to identify with their fellow “whites” instead of with those who were equally oppressed. When the lower class Anglos came to America believed that God had granted them divine rights to a “virgin” “wilderness” that was without “people,” inhabited only by “savages” who were “uncivilized. So from then onwards people of color have been viewed as uncivilized savages always being under the oppressive Anglos. America was supposed to be a democracy, founded on the idea of freedom and self-determination and right to improve oneself.  However, there were peoples within the borders who were denied full enfranchisement, the right to vote, the right to participate completely socially and economically, and most of the benefits of what “America” promised because of the color of their skin.  The contradiction between promising rights and denying rights was resolved by simply asserting that certain people, because they did not posses the necessary “whiteness,” were inherently inferior and undeserving of American rights and benefits. Once again, because the people who have the power to make changes to the constitution are whites therefore they make it so that it benefits only the Anglos. The term further enforce it when we have names like African American, Chinese American and Native American While Anglos are just called Americans.

“The Murals of Los Angeles”

The murals in Los Angeles play vital role in our society of public art and remain as a cultural heritage.  There are over thousand public murals that give interesting images and also, they remark a social and political expression.  The murals were reality results, sometimes from the original positive intention of the artwork.  The theme of the murals often deals with an important issue of their society such as their interests, their hope, and their voice. For instance, the murals in early 1990’s portrayed the struggles for workers rights, civil rights, and socio-economic justice.  Also, the murals are effectively used for educational source and to cherish a sense of identity and pride of their culture.
Mural defined as a large painting on a wall or ceiling has been handed down from long time ago. The murals originated from cave paintings back in the days such as well-preserved legacies in Egypt, Greece, and many other nations. As of today, the usage of mural has been changed towards advertisements and city beautification. Murals began to cover walls of government buildings, museums and universities.  Great artists like Diego Rivera became the trademark of new art that blended Spanish and ancient Indian into Mexican, and into a future concept of humanity. Diego Rivera is a Mexican painter who produced murals on social themes.  He was born in Guanajuato and educated at the San Carlos Academy of Fine Arts, in Mexico City. He studied painting in Europe between 1907 and 1921, becoming familiar with the innovative cubist forms of the French painter Paul Cézanne and Pablo Picasso. In 1921 Riviera returned to Mexico and took a prominent part in revival of mural painting initiated by artists and sponsored by the government. Believing that art should serve the working people and be readily available to them, he concentrated on painting large frescoes, concerning the history and social problems of Mexico, on the walls of public buildings. Since the dominant event during his time was the Mexican Revolution of 1917, he was commissioned to paint the public buildings to glorify the 1917 Revolution as well as the pre-colonial Mexico.  The influence of Diego Rivera’s paintings concerning about the history and social problems of Mexico had been softened over the years and the themes had been turned towards the life and death, youth, education, economic opportunity, the relationship with the police, gangs, and many others.
These days, the Mural of Los Angeles has become much more diverse and many publicly sponsored mural projects are themed on multicultural society and the importance of living and working together peacefully.  A great example is the “Great Wall of the Los Angeles” by Judy Baca with help of over 700 people.  This long mural painting and the most spectacular mural in Los Angeles, portrays the history of California from pre-history to now. Briefly the subjects include: Civil Rights movement, Japanese Internment, the origin of gay rights, the Olympic champions, Jewish arts and science, the birth of rock and roll, baby boomers, World War II, strikes and many more subjects which there should not be any hesitation to say the Great Wall is one of the country’s most respected and largest monuments to inter-racial harmony.
Today in the Southwest United States, Mexican Americans have become recognized as a culturally rich and unique people.  An expression of this unique identity is seen in the spread of Chicano murals.  Painted on walls, stores, and numerous other public and private buildings, these murals relate the experiences, hopes and aspirations of the Mexican American people. They call out specific and universal themes of equality, brotherhood and progress, which are rooted in humanistic and spiritual understandings.
This article provides the links that I could look for more about Mural arts and helped to learn through visuals and concept, which was very helpful to understand about it easily.  I have seen some of mural arts before so it was very interesting to me again.  It approached very interestingly that the mural arts leisure the viewer’s eye and at the same time, they hold the expression of the people’s hope, their voices, and their culture, which have been presented until this period. Also, the tourists who visit to see the traditions of mural arts will see how their culture and society reflected on the murals. For example, some tourists thought that when they saw one of the mural paintings of Richard Davidon and Rivera’s artworks, they learned little bit of their culture. I think the mural are one of the messages for all people, a message, and an art form that will last and become a part of our own culture. It was surprising that muralists tried to paint the wall for Chicano culture and there are many actual artifacts left in museums. When reading this article, I felt excited about Chicano muralist and their mural artworks. I think it does work that murals present the culture of the period and they might tell even beyond the words. This article pulled my attention to learn how each mural painting has its own story behind it and how the historical issues had been changed over the years. Also, the murals are not only for the beautification and yet, they embrace a great power to inspire and make people to understand one another regardless of education, language and race.

This is my second time that I am learning about Chicano Artists. Why Chicano art did not fit into the white Western mainstream definition of “fine art”? Why Chicanos think that they are living in an occupied land, penetrate into by Anglos? This article provided the links that I could look for more about Chicano artists and learned through visuals so it was very helpful to understand about it easily. I have not seen Chicano artists arts before so it was very interesting. From the article, I learned that one of the most ephemeral criteria was that of called “quality.” For example, “Quality” is became a code word and this word is considered racist when put in the context of art that is not white and male. And Chicano art was for the Chicano people and it was about the Chicano people, and Chicano people made it. Also now, when the Anglos think of Chicano art, the Anglos tend to think of murals. It was very interesting part and also I remember that one sentence which is “Chicano” art is very strangers in Mexican-Americans own land.

Mexican-American Culture

This is my first time that I am learning about Mexican-Americans culture so I do not understand why the Anglos became tired of Mexican rule. Also from the article, “1848 to 1853, Mexicans became Americans”(Mexican-American culture article). Why Mexicans and Americans conflicts between these two peoples began?
This article provided the links that I could look for more about Mexican-Americans culture and learned through visuals so it was very helpful to understand about it easily.  I have not seen Mexican-American culture before so it was very fresh to me.  From the article, I learned that Mexican-Americans the original bone between Mexico and America was Texas, and it a breakaway “Republic” that separated from Mexico. Also, Mexicans were to automatically become American citizens. For example, the United States wanted Mexican domain, but the country did not want the people. And Beginning of the Twentieth Century, America had a large underclass of people of color, second class citizens all, denied their rights as Americans second and third generation Blacks, Chinese, Japanese, Filipinos, and Mexicans.  It was very interested fact to me, and I was learned that each a race’s cultures in America every weeks. And I learned that it was different each racial cultures that how they are become in America.

Asian-American and Asian Artists

Is there other Funerary architecture Artists other than Maya Lin? What kind of

emotion did American got after looking at the Viet Nam Memorial Monument Wall?

Why American hated to talk about Viet Nam War? And why did President Reagan refuse

to go to opening ceremonies?Why Maya Li and Yasamasa Morimura didn’t struggle the

racism about being Asian American Artists? What is the quintessential post – modern

art?

From the Asian American and Asian Artists article, I learned many new interesting things that how Asian American Artists involved in American history. I didn’t know that Asian American Artists, Maya Lin, was the creator of the revered Viet Nam Veterans Memorial Wall. Before reading this article, I thought that most monuments were just the architectural object not art. What I found from this article was funerary Architecture, which is architecture that memorializes the dead, and the idea of designing a memorial for the Veterans of the Viet Nam War. The new things that surprised out of most was Maya put meanings on the memorial wall. In her work, there was nothing political about her design, which was covered with the names of each of the fallen, in order of when they died, carved into the dark, polished mirrored surface. Her concept was put courage and dignity and she want to make a place, not an object. Yasamasa Morimura is the quintessential Post-modern artist. I learned that Morimura used new technology on old images, and loves to use photography and performance in his art work. I found out that war effected and influenced lot to these two artists. Being Asian American Artists was hard to be famous in American society, but these artists express really well in their art works.

The situation of the Mexican Americans in America is very similar to the Native Americans, They both were denied of their land and homes. The Anglos wanted the land but does not want color people in it, however they need colored people in all areas in order to progress. One good example is how during the struggle of Mexican territory, the United States wanted, the country did not want the people and eventually  only those Mexicans were “pure” white, of Spanish descent, were eligible to become citizens. Without people of color America might not be where it is today. The Anglos have always been very dependent of Mexican Americans even till this very day, they have been taking jobs which are usually rejected by Anglos. Mexican-Americans have always feels that they are strangers in their own land, they think of themselves as living in an occupied land, invaded by Anglos. As second-class citizens Mexican Americans must make do, cope and deal with the discrimination and injustice from the Anglos over the years.
Through the reading I find that the Mexican Americans seem to display a strong culture pride in everything the project. From this line that reads “We are a Bronze People,” they said, asserting their ethnicity and celebrating their heritage in secular events, such as The Day of the Dead. Mexican Americans street artist, painting an alternative history of Los Angeles, the history of “minorities” and of the injustices of the American system to the zoot suits, Las Gorras Blancas, street mural art and the “Low Rider” all are ethnic statements of cultural pride of Mexican Americans. They seem to understand the concept of consciousness rising, by not embracing the Anglo cultures and ideas.