In the article of Borrando La Barda: Tijuana Mexico, the writer, Jill Holslin, briefly talked about artist, Ana Teresa Fernandez's, performance art titled, Erasing the Border. The performance took place at the border between Playas de Tijuana and San Diego's Border Field State Park. Fernandez stood on a tall ladder in a black cocktail dress and spray painted the border bars from black to "a pale powdery blue" color. The symbolism of this act of removing the border references the power and strength of women in Mexico, who travels from south and central Mexico to North Mexico to provide a better living for their families; it was also a comparison to the artist's career, as she traveled from Mexico to the United States to establish her career. It was a commentary on the power of hope to a better future and the strength of women that may be often undermined. The writer commented that the artist addresses the balance of women's sensuality. My favorite quote from this article is when the author was talking about the artist exploration into the woman she aspires to be. or to empower: "[A woman who is] sensual and edgy, willful but polite, powerful yet vulnerable, strong enough to do manual labor, yet beautiful in heels." A woman who has these qualities all in tasteful balance is the woman whom I aspire to become.
Not to mention the powerful visual of "erasing the border" by painting the black bars a color that disappears into the sky.
- Did she get permission to paint the border? If so, why would they allow her to paint it? Will the border be repainted in black?
Again, I often battle with the idealist and the cynic within me. I may contradict some of my previous comments. I admire and felt empowered by the motivation of her work and her performance; it is one of my favorite. But how does painting the border bars from black to pale blue change anything? Does the performance bring awareness from the reporters or writers who will write about the performance? Does the amount of audience at the live performance increase or decrease the power of the message? Does the act of voicing one's opinion/ feelings in public makes you a performance artist?
Am I being a cynic because I wish I was the one receiving fame from such a mundane activity and have the opportunity to create in renown biennales? I have passion. I have motivation. I can create a performance. But if I do a performance based on something I am passionate about, why doesn't my creation receive international recognition, or be an artist study of a performance class at a university? If I was the one dressed in cocktail dress and painting the border bars blue in high altitude, how would you react to the performance? How would the performance be received by the public, compared to the performance done by Fernandez? Would you consider that a performance?
The quote that you choose to highlight was one that i also found interesting but for different reasons, i wasn't sure how the black dress and heels were relevant to the erasure of the border. It seems to me as if the artist is addressing two separate issues here or maybe I am misunderstanding the concept.
Jennifer, you bring up a valid concern and definitely a critique that is echoed by many. When I hear people say, "But I could have mopped the floor with blood," I usually respond, "But you didn't. You could." I really think the only difference between you and Fernandez is that you simply haven't decided to do what you very well could do, yet...that and probably friends in art circles who can promote your work. That's really probably the only difference. Having vision is important but follow-through is what makes that distinction. Would you agree?
This article named Erasing the Border seems to give me hope for the future especially as the ending says that the hope is: Someday this wall will fall. We should not create borders but break them down instead. I really use leftist thinking when it comes to this problem that needs improvement. An analogy is when the East/West German wall came down and united a democratic Germany. I believe these things are possible and will come true someday. It's just a matter of time provided no matter how long it takes too.
Erasing The Border is an aesthetically effective illusion sated with consequence. Hernandez employs her typical sensuality with the incorporation of black heels and form fitting frock. After fencing in and distinguishing spheres of influence, Hernandez infiltrates the boundary with the blue coat thereby brushing away community confines. The painting of bars on the beach establishes a border that for Mexican-born inhabitants denotes the virgin-whore paradox, the Northern Utopia concept as well as the Mexico- specific hard-hitting suppression. For Hernandez, the state of affairs correlate to NAFTA, the Meridia Initiative and the drug war. The significance of the erased portion is that it allows the detained to look beyond limitations, experience an optical false impression the power of mind and recognize the power of mind to create. The citation “ Someday the wall will fall” expresses how her action or any progressive one that offers a peak at possibilities can provoke further expansion of the mind, body and soul. The phrase articulates hope which is in dyer straits in the country.
I loved that she used Martha Stewart brand paint, the epitome of feminine craft/housework/DIY ideology.
ReplyDelete@Ariel:I meant to comment on that. I wonder(and hope) that it's intentional.
DeleteAgreed. I assume it was deliberate.
ReplyDeleteIn the article of Borrando La Barda: Tijuana Mexico, the writer, Jill Holslin, briefly talked about artist, Ana Teresa Fernandez's, performance art titled, Erasing the Border. The performance took place at the border between Playas de Tijuana and San Diego's Border Field State Park. Fernandez stood on a tall ladder in a black cocktail dress and spray painted the border bars from black to "a pale powdery blue" color. The symbolism of this act of removing the border references the power and strength of women in Mexico, who travels from south and central Mexico to North Mexico to provide a better living for their families; it was also a comparison to the artist's career, as she traveled from Mexico to the United States to establish her career. It was a commentary on the power of hope to a better future and the strength of women that may be often undermined. The writer commented that the artist addresses the balance of women's sensuality. My favorite quote from this article is when the author was talking about the artist exploration into the woman she aspires to be. or to empower: "[A woman who is] sensual and edgy, willful but polite, powerful yet vulnerable, strong enough to do manual labor, yet beautiful in heels." A woman who has these qualities all in tasteful balance is the woman whom I aspire to become.
ReplyDeleteNot to mention the powerful visual of "erasing the border" by painting the black bars a color that disappears into the sky.
- Did she get permission to paint the border? If so, why would they allow her to paint it? Will the border be repainted in black?
Again, I often battle with the idealist and the cynic within me. I may contradict some of my previous comments. I admire and felt empowered by the motivation of her work and her performance; it is one of my favorite. But how does painting the border bars from black to pale blue change anything? Does the performance bring awareness from the reporters or writers who will write about the performance? Does the amount of audience at the live performance increase or decrease the power of the message? Does the act of voicing one's opinion/ feelings in public makes you a performance artist?
Am I being a cynic because I wish I was the one receiving fame from such a mundane activity and have the opportunity to create in renown biennales? I have passion. I have motivation. I can create a performance. But if I do a performance based on something I am passionate about, why doesn't my creation receive international recognition, or be an artist study of a performance class at a university? If I was the one dressed in cocktail dress and painting the border bars blue in high altitude, how would you react to the performance? How would the performance be received by the public, compared to the performance done by Fernandez? Would you consider that a performance?
The quote that you choose to highlight was one that i also found interesting but for different reasons, i wasn't sure how the black dress and heels were relevant to the erasure of the border. It seems to me as if the artist is addressing two separate issues here or maybe I am misunderstanding the concept.
DeleteYes, she is making two statements at once. I wonder if it might be stronger with more focus. What do you think?
DeleteJennifer, you bring up a valid concern and definitely a critique that is echoed by many. When I hear people say, "But I could have mopped the floor with blood," I usually respond, "But you didn't. You could." I really think the only difference between you and Fernandez is that you simply haven't decided to do what you very well could do, yet...that and probably friends in art circles who can promote your work. That's really probably the only difference. Having vision is important but follow-through is what makes that distinction. Would you agree?
ReplyDeleteThis article named Erasing the Border seems to give me hope for the future especially as the ending says that the hope is: Someday this wall will fall. We should not create borders but break them down instead. I really use leftist thinking when it comes to this problem that needs improvement. An analogy is when the East/West German wall came down and united a democratic Germany. I believe these things are possible and will come true someday. It's just a matter of time provided no matter how long it takes too.
ReplyDeleteLinda, I like this idea of comparing the border with the Berlin Wall. Let's talk about this in class tomorrow.
DeleteErasing The Border is an aesthetically effective illusion sated with consequence. Hernandez employs her typical sensuality with the incorporation of black heels and form fitting frock. After fencing in and distinguishing spheres of influence, Hernandez infiltrates the boundary with the blue coat thereby brushing away community confines.
ReplyDeleteThe painting of bars on the beach establishes a border that for Mexican-born inhabitants denotes the virgin-whore paradox, the Northern Utopia concept as well as the Mexico- specific hard-hitting suppression. For Hernandez, the state of affairs correlate to NAFTA, the Meridia Initiative and the drug war. The significance of the erased portion is that it allows the detained to look beyond limitations, experience an optical false impression the power of mind and recognize the power of mind to create.
The citation “ Someday the wall will fall” expresses how her action or any progressive one that offers a peak at possibilities can provoke further expansion of the mind, body and soul. The phrase articulates hope which is in dyer straits in the country.
Do you think the border will ever be erased? Why or why not? Why would we want it to? What are the advantages and disadvantages?
Delete