Lilia Carrillo is an abstractionist who became prominent in the fifties and sixties. She and other painters rebelled against the government run and funded Escuela Mexicana de Pintura (Mexican Painting School) and became what is called the “Rupture Generation”. These artists no longer created art in the mural style and were not interested in sending out the traditional social message.
Paulo Freire’s message is similar. Conforming with the traditional method of teaching will only enforce the status quo. Being funded and supported by that entity further oppresses forward thinking and autonomy. In order to create change, someone has to take a stand and in uniting with others, create a new platform for change.
I find abstractionist’s work very tiring. I feel that I have to work too hard to try and “get” what they are saying. If this piece were a Rorschach picture, then I would probably say that it was a white duck with a blue bill, waving a black stocking cap with a pom pom ball at the end of it. Never the less, the painting is entitled Introspection so I have to assume this means what the artist sees inside herself.
The work is an oil on canvas which gives it texture that I cannot see. Dark colors are on the outer edges while lighter colors are in the middle possibly signifying the oppressing forces that surround us. It looks as though an instrument is piercing the flesh of the subject. There are many circular objects within the painting. One looks like a moon, another is similar to a conch shell. The object that is pierced resembles a stomach or maybe a pitcher being poured. I know that I am looking at objects rather than trying to understand the meaning. I can’t begin to pretend that I know what experiences she is reflecting upon except for that as a woman. In doing so, I risk reflecting my own thoughts and feelings rather than that of the artist. Maybe that’s what it’s for?
I chose Lilia’s art because she and the other “Rupture” painters were not satisfied with the traditional method of painting and how society was depicted. Change needed to happen and they felt that that change could be represented in their work. I liked the colors in the Introspection piece and although it’s dark in some aspects, I feel that it also represents hope. All of these pieces tied into Freire and his message.
If I could speak to the artist, I would ask what the symbols represented in the painting. I would ask what inspired the painting, how long it took to paint, and did she have to get in the mood every time she painted, or did it keep developing as she explored each new section. I would ask if the colors had certain significance. I would also ask if she cared about what others thought of her work.