Friday, December 11, 2009

The Art of Mexican Culture


In honor of the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe tomorrow, I want to share this "guided tour" of artwork by Carmen Lomas Garza. Just click the arrow at the bottom right of the first guided tour picture to view the next one in the collection. I am especially fond of "Tamalada" (pictured above), showing a family making tamales together, a wonderful Christmastime tradition. I have never made them, but Lisa at Homesick Texan has this great how-to-make-tamales post.

I am always saddened by the way the Mexican culture is portrayed in America. I have come to admire it very much, especially from reading Elizabeth Borton de Trevino's My Heart Lies South and At Home in Mexico. I hope Ms. Garza's work helps dispel some of the misconceptions. Her artist's statement includes this information:

The Chicano Movement of the late 1960s inspired the dedication of my creativity to the depiction of special and everyday events in the lives of Mexican Americans based on my memories and experiences in South Texas. I saw the need to create images that would elicit recognition and appreciation among Mexican Americans, both adults and children, while at the same time serve as a source of education for others not familiar with our culture.

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