Week 14

Museum of Latin American Art

In this week's assignment, I went back and viewed the three video's I originally viewed in our week 5 assignment.  Although I enjoyed watching again the YouTube videos on the "Night's In" series and the Art Tour news special, I found myself looking closely at the art pieces in the YouTube virtual tour of MoLAA.  I often paused during the video to observe closely the various paintings and sculptures.  I wondered what prompted the artist to draw, paint or sculpt that particular piece of work.  What personal life experiences are illustrated in the works displayed at the museum?  The one piece that I was drawn to this time was the oil painting by Arnold Belkin titled "Exodus".  This piece seemed to sum up what we've been exploring this semester - oppression - the various ways oppression takes place in Latin American cultures and how people attempt to escape their oppressors.

The texture and colors of the painting suggests pain, suffering and movement, which add to the emotion in the painting.  The viewer gets the sense that the couple is leaving an oppressive situation due to the deep emotion it elicits - sadness, fear and hopefulness.  The woman is looking back, sullen and sad, as if she is looking back at the life and the love ones she's leaving behind.  However, the man is looking forward as if he is hopeful of their future.  The additional people in the dark background suggest that they are all attempting to escape some type of dark, difficult or oppressive life.

In the recent movies we've watched and Freire's book, "Pedagogy of the Oppressed", I've come to understand that the cycle of oppression is difficult to break.  Although oppressed people want a better life for themselves, it is sometimes difficult to break the cycle because oppression is what they know and it can provide a sense of "false" safety and security.  So, naturally, it is difficult and frightening to walk away from this life into a life of uncertainty, freedom and hope.  This painting makes me wonder what they are leaving behind and what the future has in store for this young couple.  The exodus journey will not be easy, but if they reach their destination, there may be hope for their future.

MoLAA - Museum of Latin American Art, March 2007

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUaZHgJElTQ&feature=related

Classmate Reviews of Week 13

Beatriz wrote how Mama Elena had once been oppressed and later on become the oppressor.

Kathy wrote how Like Water for Chocolate is yet another powerful story about forbidden love and unyielding tradition; something she finds to be a common theme in Latin American culture.

Kelsey wrote that having someone else run a person's life makes them oppressed because they cannot express themselves on who they really are.

Logan wrote that Freire’s Ideas were displayed throughout this film in regards to oppression, tradition, and politics.

Michael This story also illustrates how oppression kills your spirit as demonstrated with Tita’s breakdown and depression.

Nancy wrote that we each need to learn how to separate our sense of self from our family and societal traditions and definitions of who we each are - and are not - in order to fully become the person we were made to be, to reach our full potential as a person.

Nicole noted that Tita was oppressed by her mother and the traditions of her family.

Paul  noted that this movie transcends borders. Love, revolutions, family traditions and rebelious teenagers, these are things that happen all over the world.

Shannon noted that Elena refuses to acknowledge the dynamic reality of time and the world. As a result she fails to see the magic that results from the love between her youngest daughter Tita and Pedro.

Stacy wrote how Tita finally found her voice and stood up to her oppressors (her mother). She found her strength.