GALLERY RESPONSE ESSAY - Ricky Ochoa

 Part 1 - Curatorial Activism Defined

Curatorial Activism organizes art exhibitions to ensure that certain constituencies of artists are no longer ghettoized or excluded from the master narratives of art. This includes women, people of color, and different sexualities instead of the typical Heterosexual White Male that dominates all of the culture. This Is What I Know About Art, by Kimberly Drew, and the essay Towards Curatorial Activism by Dr. Maura Reilly connect to the issues we have been discussing by trying to make a change through art and their experiences whether it's political or general knowledge to the world. Authors, Historians, and Curators can also be Activists by showing them their studies to grasp a deeper understanding of women, people of color, and different sexualities coming from those who are those people themselves it actually makes them more meaningful rather than boring due to the same premise of White Heterosexual Male's perspectives. The moments where Kimberley Drew's book felt particularly pivotal and meaningful to me was during Chapter 2 of Intersection of Art, Identity, and Activism. According to BooKey, the review of chapter 2 from This is What Know About Art by Kimberly Drew states, "Art serves as a powerful medium for social change and activism, and Kimberly Drew delves deeply into this intersection in her book 'This Is What I Know About Art.' She illustrates how art is not merely an aesthetic pursuit but a vital tool for challenging societal norms, advocating for justice, and fostering a sense of identity and representation." I really like that line because I want people to understand and make a difference through art. Since most people watch Movies and TV shows these days I want to make a change in how they are consumed. That would be teaching lessons and learning about what we should and shouldn't do to help ourselves better the world. Chapter 2 of Intersection of Art, Identity, and Activism also explains, "In examining the role of art in social movements, Drew illustrates how visual and performance art can galvanize communities, create solidarity, and amplify the voices of the marginalized. Art becomes a unifying force, bringing people together in pursuit of common goals and aspirations." Art can create social movements that give voices to the marginalized, it also helps spread awareness of their cultures and unite humanity as one species rather than dividing.

Part 2 - Art Example 

Lizzy Alejandro, El Diablo es Una Mujer, Archival pigment print

She is a visual artist and curator from The Bronx, NYC.

Josefina Fernandez Moran, Tati, Digital Photography

She is a portrait photographer.

El Diablo es Una Mujer focuses on the reclamation and empowerment of women. The Vejigante Mask represents a cultural and historical role for men assigned to them by tradition in Puerto Rico. For this piece, she positions a woman with the Vejigante Mask to challenge and confront patriarchal norms. This can be seen as an activist because of how she uses the Mask that is supposed to be for men and places it on herself to subvert gender roles and how women can reclaim their power and visibility in cultural narratives. According to Understanding Patriarchy by Bell Hooks on page 2, "As their daughter I was taught that it was my role to serve, to be weak, to be free from the burden of thinking, to caretake and nurture others." This is the tradition that women are supposed to be; they are destined to be married to a man who would take care of them and do all of the house chores and raise the kids that are theirs, but in patriarchy, thinking it is his and his alone. The subversion that Josefina did helps women to reclaim power and presence in cultural narratives.

Tati is the focus of understanding Josefina's mother better. In the portrait, Tati gazes off into space while gently cradling her cigarette between her fingers. It's ambiguous because we don't know what she is thinking, and we don't know Josefina's thoughts, but we do want to know more about her past beyond first impressions. According to Chapter 3 of This is What I Know About Art by Kimberley Drew on BooKey, it states, "Drew recounts her own experiences navigating these spaces as a Black woman in the art world. She describes the sense of isolation and the constant battle for visibility in environments that were not designed to be inclusive." This describes the misunderstandings at surface-level glances.

Works Cited

BooKey, https://www.bookey.app/book/this-is-what-i-know-about-art#chapter2

Hooks Bell, Understanding Patriarchy