Artist: Samantha Soleta, Chloe Shiau, Thuy Trinh Nguyen, & Kou Xiong
Artist Statement:
Colorism has deep roots within cultures across the globe. With this photo, we hope to highlight a mixed race individual in the wear of one of their ethnic backgrounds. In this photo, we have Alexa, a half Pilipina half Israeli young woman. Within the Pilipino culture, whiter skin is seen as beautiful and preferred. As a “hapa,” Alexa is given the privilege of being seen in her mother’s home country as beautiful, affluent, and superior.
However, here in America one may say she is “too white” to be wearing the clothes of pre-colonial Philippines. Her lack of dark skin and dark hair are contrary to what is typically paired with the clothing of the Mindinao people. She wears a pot on her head for the dance called Banga, performed by the Kalinga tribe. She may be seen as someone trying to find her place in a culture that is not completely her own.
Despite these perspectives, we want to express the importance of empowering yourself through your culture in your own way. Being mixed doesn't mean you must choose a side. Trying to be in touch with one side of your heritage is not a problem. We must allow people to explore and find their places within their cultures and communities without the judgement and naysay of our fellow people.
This piece successfully explores colorism and the statement thoroughly supports it. I really like the level of detail this piece has and the specificity of the subject's race and description of her clothing and its cultural background. I don't feel that the artist statement needs to be improved, overall it is a good piece!
ReplyDeleteThis photo vividly captures colorism and the artist statement supports it. However, the artist statement predominantly focuses on the conflict between the Pilipina and American identity and the Israeli aspect of the artist is somewhat forgotten. Elaborating on this third layer would make the artist statement stronger and give another layer of complexity to the photo.
ReplyDeleteAs opposed to trying to analyze whole groups of people, your group chose to explain the experience of one individual. This take definitely brings the issues of colorism and mixed race in a personal level. The visual and statement are both well presented. In addition to a wonderful explanation of empowerment, I would have probably explained a little more on the idea that colorism has deep roots in different cultures around the globe.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your statement and looking at your artwork. I think your group was able to grasp the concept of colorism well and was able to deliver your overall message effectively. By basing your artwork and statement on a single individual, I thought that it was very personable. The topic you chose to touch on is definitely an ongoing issue for many mixed race individuals. Overall, great job!
ReplyDeleteThe photo is wonderful! It's artistic and a treat to look at. I like the statement and how your piece draws on the beauty of the individual and how her life is shaped by her appearance. Great job!
ReplyDeleteThe photo looks really cool. I love the idea of wearing one of the culture's clothing even though she is a mix race. For the artist statement though to maybe talk about more about colorism because it says about the problem of her skin. I am a bit confused of the theme of the picture Other than that, great picture.
ReplyDeleteLike the photo and how you incorporated a mixed person in your piece. Next time maybe go deeper by having your piece relate to the readings and discussions of class that week. I thought the artist statement was good, but again for next time try to incorporate some of the ideas we discussed in class.
ReplyDeleteI think this piece really demonstrates the incorporation of ideas if mixed raced identities. I like the use of color and how the mixed backgrounds are displayed in the image. The topics discussed in class were clearly represented. I would love to have seen the image of the girl presented, much closer than so far back.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate that the group addressed that colorism is a global phenomena. The statement really complement and binds together with the photo. The symbols included in the photo are powerful, especially with the American flag as the floor ground representing that she lives in the U.S, but when you look further beyond, she is from other heritages. The statement is well written, brief and concise.
ReplyDeleteI really like how I didn’t have to read your artist statement to understand that this piece touches on mixed-race identities and the concept of olorism. I specifically like how you have incorporated these ideas via cultural attires and colorful effects. Overall, good job!
ReplyDeleteThe artist statement was a great way for us (the audience) to get a background in the model's mixed race. It is a powerful image! I enjoyed seeing all of the colors and combinations of her mixed race with this image. I wish I could get a perspective of her Israeli background. Great artist statement that followed up with this weeks readings!
ReplyDeleteThe combination of US flag and Israeli flag as the terrain, backdrop, and environment of the subject's mixed race identity is very intriguing. However, the artist statement's analysis on colorism is repetitive of superficial analysis and lacks in-depth, social structural insights. To improve it's theoretical analysis, the project could discuss how the idea of race traitors operates under the interconnected, socio-economic partnerships between Israel, the US, and the Philippines. Your group could even discuss how the mixing of races in Israel is considered an act of treachery and race traitors, because Israel supports its national power by an all-Jewish population; I heard that Israeli citizens in Israel are not allowed to marry outside of their Jewish heritage in order to maintain the state power of the Jewish nation. It would be interesting to see how the theroetical framework of race traitors evolves between the US and Israel as two settler colonial states who have/who are committing ethnic cleansing of indigenous populations in Palestine and the First Nations.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed how the background consisted of the art subject's flags, without being too evident. At first glance, you just notice a mix of highly saturated colors and a woman in the middle of it. As I read into the artist statement, I was able to understand what each detail of the photograph meant, such as her specific outfit. It also made me question that, if people don't particularly have to choose a side or perhaps express them all equally, was the american flag made bigger in this photograph (in comparison to the other flags) because she identifies herself as more American than her other ethnicities? I love the message that people should be able to explore and not let society judge them.
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ReplyDeleteI like how vivid and colorful this piece is. I enjoy seeing how as a personal experience, talking about mixed race getting identified different way in different community. The flags in the photo subtly telling us how she has both part of the culture and how it impacts her within US. I also think the message of not necessarily choosing the side and open to decide at every moment is a great message to incorporate. I wish the piece talk about where she get the inspiration from other artists or scholars, along with how it ties back to the whole society. Overall great work!
ReplyDeleteTheir was a lot of thought and post production that went into the image. I understood it as some sort of cultural hybridity. This did not go too well with the artist statement that seemed to generally discuss colorism and glossed over understanding of the concept. The connections to the photo based on the statement seemed also forced and not very apparent. So much more could have been discussed either in regards to a global understanding of how the cultures interact and/or clash. Even an personal interview with the subject or others like her to give the audience a better understanding of mixed race individuals would have helped.
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