Publications
INDIGENOUS HERITAGE ON THE INTERNET: On the identity politics of Chicano photography in the digital age
- Publisher: transcript (Image)
- Year: 1st Edition (August 9, 2017)
- Paperback: 316 pages
- ISBN-10: 3837640019
- ISBN-13: 978-3837640014
Since the late 1960s, Chicanos have been fighting for cultural recognition and social equality in American society. Their Indigenous heritage is an essential element of their identity and artistic authenticity. Based on 27 interviews with Chicano photographers and activists such as Delilah Montoya, Kathy Vargas, Lupita Murillo Tinnen, Harry Gamboa Jr., Oscar Castillo, Orlando Lara, Robert C. Buitrón, and David Bacon, Laura M. Corkovic analyzes how effectively they use the internet in their struggle. In four specific case studies, she explores the significance of Indigenous cultures in contemporary Chicano photography and their online presentation compared to print media.
From its beginnings, photography in Mexico has been an artistic genre dominated by non-Indigenous people, with Indigenous culture as a recurring theme. It wasn't until the 1990s that the first groups of professional Indigenous photographers emerged, achieving great success in Mexico and gaining international attention and recognition. Their work enriched the vision of non-Indigenous photographers as it existed until then and gave new direction to the presence of the Indigenous world in Mexican photography. In this doctoral dissertation, I decided to directly compare both groups of artists to highlight the similarities and differences in their work. For this purpose, I selected a sufficiently representative group from the abundant non-Indigenous photographic production, and, in the case of Indigenous photographers, I chose the most well-known photographers in the country. As an essential part of the research process, I conducted more than fifty interviews with both Indigenous and non-Indigenous photographers, as well as with various figures in the Mexican cultural scene. Through this research, I discovered which ethnic groups were most frequently photographed at the end of the 20th century and arrived at some observations regarding the future of Indigenous photography in Mexico.
INDIGENOUS CULTURE IN MEXICAN PAINTING OF THE FIRST HALF OF THE 20TH CENTURY
- University of Salamanca
- Edition: Kindle, 2017
From the moment the Mexican people achieved political independence from Spain, the national artistic world resolved to reach a new level. No longer should they draw from European cultural sources, nor create works solely for and by them. The Mexican Revolution bolstered self-confidence, opened political doors for the modern artist, and fostered the development of a painting style that achieved an autonomous character. This character is still marked by foreign influences, but now as a product of inspiration, not imitation. Simultaneously, the artist embraced the rich diversity of pre-Hispanic cultures, contemporary indigenous impulses, and the very nature of their land. However, and this is not merely a circumstantial obligation but a defining characteristic of the Mexican people, they had absorbed all Western influences, following Spanish norms during the colonial period and French norms in the 19th century. They also seem unable to avoid absorbing influences from the United States, but always transforming what they acquired, fusing it with indigenous culture, which can be seen as a constant throughout the fluctuations of national and artistic development in Mexico.
Mexican Baroque painting spans a period of approximately 150 years (1640-1790), corresponding to half the reign of the Viceroyalty of New Spain. This multifaceted era reflects the multicultural influences of the country, shaped by the Spanish since the conquest (1519), in both society and painting. This resulted from the mutual renunciation of the complete annihilation of the enemy and the adaptation of both the two major cultures that encountered each other, as well as all artistic impulses arriving from abroad.
The influence of Spain on modern Spanish art is undeniable, but how enriching or destructive was this influence truly, and how strong were the undeniable non-European influences? Indigenous cultures survived Spanish dominance and lent a distinctive character to the Europeanized painting of their country. But how did they achieve this? Was Mexican Baroque painting a vehicle for these cultures? To answer these questions, the author has examined exemplary studies of important painters who worked predominantly in the urban centers of Mexico City and Puebla, and, using numerous paintings, has demonstrated the extent to which local characteristics were incorporated.
* Important NOTE: Links marked with an asterisk (*) are affiliate links to Amazon. For every sale made through these links, I receive a commission of 3% for Kindle eBooks and 4.5% for paperbacks. This will not incur any additional costs for you.
