Cristina Cárdenas
Flaming Lips
Screen Print
22 x 16 inches
Edition of 50
Published by Brandywine Workshop and Archives, Philadelphia.
As a Mexicana artist, Cristina Cardenas uses art to “expose [her] country’s history, traditions, conflicts, politics, and cultures and explore the impact of the US experience...almost always...through the experiences of women.” Cardenas has used her art as an avenue for expressing her viewpoints on issues like immigration, patriarchy, and the unique strengths and problems of her culture. Cardenas is deeply attuned to the struggles and triumphs within Mexican culture, particularly the oppression of minority groups and Indigenous people.Her work disrupts stereotypes of gender, religion, and race, and often incorporate fragments of the human figure—as seen in her printFlaming Lips.
A female figure is central inFlaming Lips—in fact, she extends beyond the composition. Ribbons entangle the figure with a rooster, which is a symbol of strength, courage, and “manliness” in Mexico, particularly in areas where cockfighting is popular. In Flaming Lips, in contrast to the freely gesturing woman, the rooster appears still—perhaps trapped.
—Adapted and excerpted from https://serieproject.org/product/cristina-cardenas/, accessed 2-8-2022, and from research conducted by University of Notre Dame students, supervised by Tatiana Reinoza, PhD, 2021
