"Exhibiting You" - Author
Gabriela Pickett
City, State: Dayton, OHI am a native of Mexico City. Coming from a long line of artists, I studied art at Wright State University in the United States. My life is full of experiences that have allowed me to develop my talent as an artist. Being born in Mexico nurtured a fondness for what most people would label as morbid images. Mexican art is a mixture of pre-Hispanic metaphors blended with graphic, and sometimes even terrifying, images of a bleeding and battered Jesus. The horrendous realities of war and political instability that Mexicans endured from 1810 to the late1930’s inspired many great artists. Some wanted to use their artistic abilities to attest to the brutal living conditions of every day life in Mexico. Others used their art to express their political opinions. When I paint or create sculptures I use a fusion of influences from my native country. Jose Maria Velasco and his landscapes, Posada and his morbid sense of humor, Diego Rivera and his desire to show us the harsh reality of life experienced by the Mexican peasants oppressed by corrupt governments, and Frida Kahlo, who painted from the heart communicating a sense of physical and psychological anguish.
I aim at raising awareness regarding the living conditions of the Mexican indigenous people who have been marginalized by economic realities and social discrimination. As an activist, I use my art as a venue for social commentary in the hope that indigenous people are not forgotten. In an era where Zapatistas have put down their guns and use words as a weapon against tyranny, I use my art to compliment the messages of peace and respect for human rights emanating from the jungles of Mexico. My landscapes are memories of my childhood recorded for posterity. As urbanization takes over the Mexican landscape, I want to show the world the beauty of Mexico’s countryside before it fades away.