My name is John Mejia, I am from Olympia, WA and use He/His pronouns. Being the son of two immigrant Latinx parents, I take great pride in where my bloodline comes from and the character which it has given me. I find great importance in people being proud of their culture and diversity, especially in a time when that kind of pride is being shunned down.
*photo of me^*
Jean-Michel Basquiat
Being raised by a hardworking struggling family, Jean Michel faced a series of tragedies from experiencing the cold and heartless side of New York City to being hospitalized due to being hit by a car during his childhood. Nevertheless, the art which he made in his 27 years of life was able to influence modern art before our eyes with his bold use of lines, colors, imagination, and complete disregard to the “rules” of art.
If there is anything that defines the Latino population, it is being faced with an adverse series of challenges with many odds being against you, and grinding your way you accomplish the unimaginable regardless of the situation. Jean Michel is an incredible example of this by not only setting a record for being an American artist to sell a painting for $110.5 million, but also for remaining influential to many modern day brands such as Coach and Dr. Marten who have decided to do collabs with his work.
Frida Kahlo
Frida Kahlo is one of the first artists which people think about when it comes to artists who have come out of Mexico. Frida was able to use the experiences which she lived growing up in Coyoacan (an area in Mexico City) and express them with a heavy blend of the Mexican style of painting which includes use of bold, bright colors, intense expressions, and reflection of her culture within the details of her work. Most recognize her paintings for the clothing and hairstyles which she made clear was a big part of her by always arriving at events with traditional Mexican influenced dresses and beautiful flowers in her hair which she kept in styles which were popular to her time and area in which she was raised.
Throughout her lifetime, Frida Kahlo was faced with many challenges both physically and psychologically. In her youth, Frida contracted polio and later on found herself in a bus accident which would break and fracture a number of her bones and leave her bedridden and crippled for her lifetime. Because of issues with her health, one thing that Frida never got over was how she was never able to have children. This burden would be a pain that haunted Frida deeply, and is a well known influence to some of her art which showed all the pain she went through and endured.
Another very well known detail about Frida Kahlo, is her infamous appearance, from her unibrow to her long dresses Frida was a true icon of displaying strictly what she was, and accepted nothing less than what she was as a proud, strong, Mexican woman. Frida chose to keep her dressed bright and long in resemblance to the traditional dresses which are worn in Mexico, along with her hairstyles which are also very typical and traditional in Mexico. In a world where the standard of beauty is reverted to European standards, Frida completely disregarded what anyone had to say about her and showed herself for the natural human being which she was no matter who she was in front of. This would go on to influence many women around the world and specially in her home country, to be proud of their heritage, body, and personality.
Overall, Frida Kahlo was an artist whose influence went far beyond her art, and showed the true Mexican spirit when it came to life itself: no matter what challenges and unfortunate events she may have found herself in, she always continued to say “Si se puede”. (Yes, its possible)
Fernando Botero
Fernando Botero is an artist from Medellin Colombia who has influenced the current generation a bit more than we think. Botero’s art is so unique that it actually got its own name of “Boterismo”. His art includes a lot of paintings and figures of inflated people with extremely overproportioned features and warm colors which have found him gaining attention for their uniqueness. From memes to galleries Fernando Botero has expressed his art by eliminating social norms and showing none other than what he wants to show, with a style only he was bold enough to use.
Fernando Botero himself is an excellent example of finding creativity in everyday activities and objects. Botero was initially schooled as a Matador (I know right) but only after two years left that behind to create the art that he is known around the world for to this day. The ironic part about it, is that when he was asked about why he gave his art the high-volume features it has, he simply said “an artist is attracted to certain kinds of form without knowing why”.
Truly, the art that Fernando Botero makes is unique in itself by carrying the happiness, irony, and comedic pride which reflects the country of Colombia.
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