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
Chicanos have been fighting for cultural recognition and social equality in American society since the late 1960s. Their indigenous heritage represents 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.
Since its inception, photography in Mexico has been an artistic genre dominated by non-Indigenous people, with Indigenous culture a constant theme within it. It wasn't until the 1990s that the first groups of professional Indigenous photographers emerged. In addition to being highly successful in Mexico, they also garnered international attention and recognition. Their work enriched the previously unknown perspective of non-Indigenous photographers and gave new direction to the presence of Indigenous people in Mexican photography. In this doctoral thesis, I decided to directly compare both groups of artists to highlight the similarities and disparities in their work. For this purpose, I selected a sufficiently representative group from the abundant non-Indigenous photographic output and, in the case of Indigenous photographers, I chose the country's most well-known photographers. 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 Mexican cultural circles. In doing so, I discovered the most photographed ethnic groups at the end of the 20th century and reached 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
Ever since the Mexican people achieved political independence from Spain, the national artistic world decided to reach a new level. It was no longer supposed to draw from the European cultural source, nor should it create works for and by it; with the Mexican Revolution, self-confidence was strengthened, political doors opened for the modern artist, and a style of painting began to acquire an autonomous character. This character is still marked by foreign influences, but now as a product of inspiration and certainly not as an imitation. Simultaneously, the artist manages to be carried away by pre-Hispanic cultures with their rich variety, by contemporary indigenous impulses, and by the nature of his land. However, and this is not simply a circumstantial duty but a characteristic of the Mexican people, he had absorbed all Western influences, following Spanish norms during the colonial period and French norms in the 19th century. He also seems to have been unable to stop absorbing those of the United States of America, always transforming what he obtained, fusing it with indigenous culture, which can be marked as a constant in the oscillations 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. In this complex era, the multicultural influences of the country, influenced by the Spanish since the conquest (1519), are reflected in society and painting. This resulted from the mutual renunciation of the complete annihilation of the enemy and the adaptation of both the two main cultures that clashed, as well as all artistic impulses from abroad.
The influence of the motherland on New Spanish art is unmistakable, but how enriching or destructive was this really, and how strong were the non-European influences that should not be forgotten? The indigenous cultures survived the dominance of the Spaniards and gave the Europeanized painting of their country a special touch. But how did they achieve this? Was Mexican Baroque painting a carrier of those 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 pictures, has shown the extent to which local characteristics influenced their work.
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