Todas Mujeres

2005
Mixed media on paper
31"x22"

This work was donated to 400 Portraits: The Women of Juarez Program. Organized by the Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance of UCLA, an auction was held in mid-May in Los Angeles to benefit Casa Amiga, an organization that works with the families of victims and to spread awareness of the on-going violence against women around Cuidad Juarez, Mexico.

Though originally I had sought to create a work that would serve to inspire hope, this piece came from a place of anger at the unfair treatment of the victims' families and how sometimes they are intimidated by law enforcement so that they will not pursue the cases of their missing loved ones. In addition, I wanted it to address the greater situation of violence against women globally, not just that in Juarez. Oftentimes women who have suffered some form of violence are talked about based on their "characters", careers, educational level, etc. The purpose of this piece is to remind us that every woman is a beautiful human being with the right to live a long, safe life, free from sexual and physical violence. The text on the image reads:

"virgenes, madres, hijas, hermanas, esposas, novias, prostitutas: todas mujeres"

"Virgins, mothers, daughters, sisters, wives, girlfriends, prostitutes: all [are] women"

The term "justicia" or "justice" is featured prominently in the center.

The palette of red/ green (complimentary colors) though it contributes to the angry nature of the painting was actually inspired by the colors of the Mexican flag. La Virgen de Guadalupe, patron saint of Mexico is also included in the image and beneath each the figure's nipples is the Eagle and Serpent seal featured in the Center of the Mexican flag. This seal celebrates the country's Aztec heritage. The Aztecs believed they would find their home when they came across an eagle perched on a cactus with a serpent in its mouth, (it was seen in present day Mexico City which became Tenochtitlan, capital city of the Aztecs).

See also, Desconocida for more background information.