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Karen Rodriguez

Chicano M175

Judy Baca

11129108

Three Virgins, All Whores

Society tends to pigeon hole women into st~~ gender roles that become means in ,}\\7 ~which one uses to identify a woman. In Chicano culture, the identities of women are shaped by \)t:- · ) ~ traditional, cultural stereotypes such as la malinche, la virgen, la adelita, or la Uorona. These

~ J~ archetypes leave little or no room to venture out from the roles of the Chicano male dominated

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pu ,) -t f' society. This dominance is evident in the poem "Yo Soy Joaquin" by Corky Gonzalez, a poem

tte~\t~ .. tj Who hJfl k h . . f d i I I I . d T-h . I .

()-".. w _ IC ac s t _ e recognition 0 women an IS so e y rna e onente. e societa constramt on

Chicanas caused several female artists to distort and challenge the stereotypes. Women such as

Delilah Montoya, Ester Hernandez, and Yolanda Lopez focused their attention on the most

iconographic image in Chicano culture-La Virgen de Guadalupe. In the pieces "La Virgen" by

Montoya, "La Ofrenda" by Hernandez and "Self-Portrait of the Artists as La Virgen de

Guadalupe" by Lopez, the artists alter the saintly image of the virgin to liberate and create a / new social perspective on the iconic female figure.

All three artists-Lopez, Hernandez and Montoya- works have similar contemporary

female themes because they all gather inspiration from their upbringing and background.

Although they were all born in different cities of the United States, each artist is a Chicana and

harbors the same stereotyped roles of women of which their art must overcome. Ester

Hernandez was born in the town Dinuba located in central California while Yolanda Lopez was

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born and raised in Southern California in San Diego and although Montoya had strong family

roots in New Mexico, she was born in Texas. It was of no importance where the artist's were

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raised or born for the Chicano culture was the sanfe in every location. The ideals and standards r-

of a respectable woman in Chicano culture remained identical across cities and states.

Commenting on her upbringing, writer and activists Gloria Anzaldua acknowledged that there

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were clear distinction of a proper Chicana and an unacceptable Chicana by stating "If a woman

rebels she is a mujer mala ... If a woman remains a virgen until she marries, she is a good

woman" (17). The portrayal of women defined by the Chicano ethnicity shaped the manner in

which women of the culture identified themselves. Their identities influenced many other

aspects of their life as "femaleness tended to be situated and fixed in paradigm dramas ... virgin,

martyr, witch, whore were the points on a quadrant within which women's behaviors, attitudes,

images, even values and beliefs were plotted" (Gonzalez 58). It must also be noted that the

archetypes of a virgin, a malinche, mother, or other female figures are "derived from male

interpretations of history and serve male fantasies of women" (Gaspar de Alba 5).

Nevertheless, many Chicanas did not see themselves fitting in with roles as contrived and

constrained as were anointed to them.

The female artists were careful in their choice of La Virgen de Guadalupe as their

iconographic and poignant image. The use of the virgin in their works was a powerful and

defiant statement for "La Virgen de Guadalupe is the most potent religious, political, and

cultural image of the ChicanolMexicano" (Anzaldua 30). She is considered the patron of

Mexico since she took on an indigenous form and appeared to the poor native man Juan Diego

in Tepeyac, Mexico (Restall 198). Thus, La Virgen is the most pure and perfect form of

femininity in Mexican and Chicano society and is the epitome of what a woman should be, for

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she is not only the blessed mother of Christ but also the patron and server of the humble, Mexican population. The characteristics and ideals of La Virgen are qualities that every honorable Chicana/Mexican women should strive to achieve. The ideal virgin is someone pure of heart and soul, untouched, innocent, motherly, and loyal.

"La Virgen" by Montoya is a photographic, silver gelatin print created in 1999. The piece centers on a female figure in a dead, desert-like setting. The woman has her exposed back towards the viewer. Her face is hidden by a large dark shroud, and on top of that is a white, delicately embroidered veil. She is also wearing a long running skirt that along with the shroud falls down to the ground. The veil and the shroud enveloping the woman cascade down her body, but leave her neck and back exposed. On the woman's back is the iconographic image of Our Lady of Guadalupe as she was depicted on the cloak of Saint Juan Diego. The image of the Virgin completely covers the women's back and it appears tattooed on with black ink. In front of the woman is a large, stubby cactus plant, while on the far background are distant mountains and a clear sky.

Hernandez also placed the image of the Virgin on an exposed woman's back in her piece "La Of rend a". The piece is a screen-print created in 1990. The background is black with what appears to be scratch marks on a dark blackboard and the image of the naked woman comprises the whole piece. The focus is a tan, young woman, visibly naked from the waist up, but only her back and head's profile are depicted. She has black, short, boyish hair with the sides shaved and it is spiked up in a rna-hawk fashion with streaks of blue color running through it. The

oung, rebellious woman has her head turned to the side in profile view. Her facial features are delicate with a slender nose, slim eyebrows, small dark eyes, and pouty pink lips. From her ear

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dangles a golden skull shaped earring with a long, pink crystal attached to the skulL Starting from the nape of her, neck down to her waist is a colorful illustration of the Virgin. There are two cherubs in blue and red flying on her shoulder, holding the crown of the Virgin. Golden and blue rays illuminate the image of La Virgen with her long, dark hair, green and yellow cloak, and red dress. At the feet of the Virgin is the crescent moon, and underneath is a visible part of another cherub. She has a faint "Mona Lisa" smile and her hands clasp together in prayer. On the bottom left hand comer of the piece a tan arm is stretched across the woman towards small of her back, extending a rose in front of La Virgen de Guadalupe.

The image of La Virgen De Guadalupe is depicted on the naked backs of women in Montoya's and Hernandez pieces, but in Yolanda Lopez's piece "Self Portrait of the Artists as La Virgen De Guadalupe" nudity is not prominent. "Self Portrait of the Artists" is an oil pastel piece on paper by Lopez created in 1978. "Self Portrait of the Artists" consists of a baby blue background with long brush strokes of white at the bottom. The traditional yellow sun rays create a gray shadow with a brown trim and in the center of the piece enclosed inside the rays is a young, fit, Hispanic female. The woman is dressed in a short sleeve pink dress with light yellow flowers, a black belt, and white tennis shoes. She is displayed in a running motion with one hand grasping a gray snake by the throat and the other hand clutching the customary green and yellow starred clock of La Virgen. The young woman's dark hair is pulled back and tussled by her running. A giant white smile is plastered on her face causing her eyes to close. Strong, lean, brown thighs are exposed caused by her dress rising up as she runs. The rising bottom of the dress reveals most of the top part of her thighs, but stops short of further divulging other more scandalous matter. Located in the bottom, middle of the piece is a cherub facing the group with red, white, and blue wings; the cherub is being trampled by the woman in motion.

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The experience ofliving as a Chicana in a male dominated world was challenged by all

three artists. Each artist captured the ability of empowerment for Chicanas. Growing up, all

three artists were reared in households with prevailing female figures. Lopez and Hernandez

had grandmothers who served vital roles in their family structure and in their upbringing (Mesa-

bains 137). Montoya was brought up by her mother in a family that contained five generations

of empowered women (Martinez). The artists gathered inspirations from the strong women in

their life and observed the great strengths women were capable of holding. Although Montoya

only reveals the back side of the woman in the "La Virgen" piece, one does not need to see the

woman's face in order to realize that she has endured a rough life which can be represented by

the barren, lifeless desert and the thorny, dangerous cactus plant. The desert and cactus can also

represent the southwest American landscape and reinforce the woman's background as well as r Montoya's New Mexican family history. Her back is sculpted and defin#-perhaps from a life of

arduous labor. The giant tattoo on the woman's lean back gives her an air of masculinity and

strength. She proudly reveals her grand tattoo shamelessly and courageously. Montoya's virgin

is no dainty, docile woman. She embodies empowerment and force. This is a clear contrast to

the traditional notion of La Virgen who often appears fragile and submissive.

While Hernandez's "La Ofrenda" appears visually similar to Montoya's "La Virgen",

Hernandez differs in the matter in which she empowers the character in her piece. Although

"La Ofrenda" also contains a young woman with an exposed back, she does not seem as

powerful as the woman in Montoya's piece. The young woman in "La Ofrenda" has a delicate,

smooth back with tender skin. In fact, the enormous tattoo of the virgin disrupts the

gracefulness of the woman's body. The hand that appears from the bottom is offering a rose in

veneration, yet the rose does not adorn the image of the virgin, rather the rose is being presented

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to the woman who possesses the tattoo. The reverence normally given to the virgin has shifted to the young, rebellious youth; thus, she obtains a new form of power never before accessible to Chicanas that do not reflect the social norm. Hernandez further empowers the woman by giving her a potent, steady gaze in her eye while the tattooed Virgen is depicted gazing downwards in subservience.

Contrary to both Hernandez and Montoya, Lopez focuses on motion to empower her image of La Virgen de Guadalupe; Hernandez's and Montoya's women are stagnant and in a posed positions, while Lopez's is in constant motion solidifying her freedom of the submissive stereotype. In addition, "the traditional icon is customarily portrayed as a passive and submissive figure" whereas Lopez's Guadalupe is depicted as an assertive, powerful runner in action (137). The ability to grasp the cloak in her hands further strengths Lopez, for the cloak represent the cultural, limiting swathe that is placed over Chicanas. The idea of her holding the cloak signifies her empowerment to hold her own destiny in her hands without the prescribed restrictions. On the opposite hand, Lopez is clutching a serpent by the head "like a staff of power" (Gaspar de Alba 12). The serpent represents several concepts, it is the snake found on the beak of the Mexican eagle in the nation's flag. It is also the serpent devil that tricked Eve in the Garden of Eden who is finally being tortured for bewitching Eve and condemning all females. Moreover, it is a phallic symbol signifying the oppressive Chicano male. The act of her holding the serpent by the head gives the serpent the inability to move or to strike; therefore, Lopez is consequentially crushing the tyrant males. In addition, the angel underneath Lopez's foot is another symbol of male dominance "described by Lopez as a middle-aged agent of patriarchy" (12). The angel is squashed by Lopez and placed under the mercy of her feet, for she is the one in control of the situation; she is the one in control of her future.

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Although the artists selected different mediums for their works, numerous similar

themes are expressed in the art pieces. A prominent subject matter in each piece, especially in

Lopez's "Self Portrait of the Artists", is the concept of liberation. Chicana women were

chained to their identities but the artists tried to enforce the notation that "Chicana identity is not

fixed 'once and for all" (Dernesesian 37). Lopez depicted herself in a state of liberation from

her repressive culture in her self portrait. The running motion signifies Lopez is dashing from

her oppressive background. Lopez unleashes herself from the chains that constrain her and

proceeds to rapidly run forward with a bright smile on her face. The smile can represent her

unflinching optimism that escapement from the submissive Chicana roles can give way to

promising and greater options. The flowing cloak behind her is another representation of her

emancipation. Unlike the original portrait of La Virgen De Guadalupe who is nestled in

between her green and yellow cloak, Lopez uncovers herself in a sign to shed herself of the

limitations placed on her by the ideology of a Chicana virgin. She is free and no longer sees the

need to shield herself behind constraining cloak.

The notion of disrobing the virgin as the mean of emancipation is an idea used by

Montoya and Hernandez in their art works. However, Montoya and Hernandez do not just

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uncover their virgins from the cloak. They strip off clothing in order to expose the virgins'

bodies-their entities. Montoya liberates her virgin by exposing her back and creating an entry r:

way to the woman's naked body. And although the woman is partially nude, the cloak and veil

around her body purifies her image demonstrating that a liberated woman does not insinuate an

evil, decadent existence. A naked back and moreover, a completely naked woman is the

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illustration of female freedom in Hernandez's piece "La Of rend a", Visibly naked, Hernandez

strips her virgin of any confining objects. She is free like the way God brought her into the

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earth. Furthermore, Hernandez work has a lesbian tone for "the rose is also symbolic of the

gift-givers sexuality" (Mesa-Bains 12). As a result, the release from the male model of a virgin

has permitted the woman in Hernandez piece to also become sexually liberated. By regaining

their sexuality, the virgins in Montoya's and Hernandez's art work are emancipated from the

controlling male rule.

Montoya, Hernandez, and Lopez challenge the societal way in which Chicanas should

perceive themselves. Montoya has stated that she is motivated to create such work because she

uses "art as a serious and responsible vehicle for exploring issues of Chicana ideology"

(Montoya). The artists' interpretations of a virgin defy "the domestic and community roles they

fulfill" (Mesa-Bains 13 1). Each artist in some form or another sexualizes the virgins in their

pieces in a fashion normally reserved for a malinche-a traitorous, promiscuous whore. The

woman in "La Virgen" by Montoya has an exposed back, making it evident that she is partially

nude which would normally be a characteristic of a debauched woman. The woman in

Hernandez's piece "La Ofrenda" also demonstrates an exposed back, but unlike Montoya who

shields her virgin with veils and drapes, Hernandez portrays her character completely naked.

The only item on the body of Hernandez's virgin is a large tattooed image of La Virgen de

Guadalupe, similar to the back of Montoya's tattooed virgin. The tattoos on both women's

naked back is something associated with an immoral lifestyle, for no self-respecting, God-

fearing woman would ruin her body by staining it with a tattoo; unless that woman was a

malinche. Moreover, Hernandez's woman appears rebellious with dyed, short hair and a skull

earring. She seems typical of a "mujer mala" (Anzaldua 17). Lopez eases the nudity in her self

portrait "Self Portrait of the Artists as La Virgen De Guadalupe". Unlike Montoya and

Hernandez, Lopez exhibits the lower half of her virgin and not the upper body. In a scandalous

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manner, Lopez illustrates herself in a short dress revealing her whole thighs and as well as ~

almost exposing her female genitalia. The figure ofa woman who is nude or quite revealing J. ... :Y_~ fY '''; '¥"\.\ .

with tattoos is not the standard view of a Chicana virgin. Perhaps the artists are trying to ~"'_Y '- <o/Jf' ~Q

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demonstrate that it is not the physical but rather the pureness of heart and mind that are the ~ ",C;.' ~ n

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important traits of a virgin. The notion of a virgin does not need to emulate one specific social ~.

identity, but rather, consist of intertwined layers and comprise only a part of how a Chicana can

view herself.

Montoya, Hernandez, and Lopez warp the typical image of a virgin into a sexualize,t-

unbound, woman of force. In their respective pieces, they comment on the model of femininity

that Chicanas are suppose to emulate, but which is in fact a restrictive ideal set by males to

constrain women. The artists challenge the orthodox imagery of how a virgin should look or

behave in order to criticize the social standards and to create a new point of view. The

liberation and empowerment of a characteristically acquiescent Chicana iconographic image

developed the notion of opportunities available unbeknown to women of the Chicano culture.

In their pieces, each artist is proclaiming hope for Chicana women in that there exists so much

more than what they are forced to believe. Outside the realm of obedience dwells a sea of

options attainable through empowerment and emancipation.

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~ t I i

Work Cited

Anzaldua, Gloria. Borderiands/La Frontera.

Demesesian, Angie Chambra. And Yes the Earth did Part on the Splitting of Chicanalo Subj ectivity.

Gaspar De Alba, Alicia. Out of the House, the Halo and the Whore Mask: The Mirror of Malinchismo.

Gonzalez, Deena J. Speaking Secrets: Living Chicana Theory.

Mesa-Bains, Amalia. CARA: Chicano Art Resistance and Affirmation: EI Mundo Femenino:

Chicana Artists of the Movement.

Martinez, Natasha Bonilla. It's All about the Apple, Or is It? http://www. cla. purdue.edulwaaw IRe ss I er/arti sts/montoyabio . html

Montoya, Delilah. Artists Statement. http://www.delilahmontoya.comlartiststatement.html

Restall, Matthew, Lisa Sousa, and Kevin Tarraciano, eds. Mesoamerican Voices. New York; Cambridge University Press, 2007.

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Yolanda Lopez, "Self Portrait of the Artist as La Virgen de Guadalupe"

Delilah Montoya, "La Virgen"

Ester Hernandez, "La Of rend a"