La Muñeca Extraterrestre
The speculative is a theoretical concept which begins to reveal a different way of looking at the world around us. Speculative fiction is the creation of beginnings that are part of a broad and fictional literary genre which tends to stray from normative reality. The genre uses aspects of ideas which are not true in reality, through this one can see a reality which has not happened yet but holds the possibility to be born. Possibility becomes potentiality. Potentiality is then on the precipice of happening and there are infinite possibilities being offered up to the present and future. As sci-fi is frequently used in pieces of speculative fiction, readers are able to see how the genre can be used to address current problems while looking towards a future where these problems are addressed and managed. Due to the broad and welcoming aspect of the speculative, latine/x individuals can use fiction to begin the process of reimagining the past and imagining a future which can be birthed from the possibility of a lost history. The past always contains the future, especially if we think about the destruction of linearity by the different memories of the people around us. Through the use of art and the concept of speculative fiction the possibility these two mediums begin to offer when brought together broadens indefinitely. With this in mind I have created an artistic piece which encompasses these ideas. By creating this piece of art I hope to intertwine literature and art in a way that mirrors the essence of the genre. I have created my art piece to be sci-fi themed and full of creativity that holds a mosaic of life told by interwoven realities.
As I created this piece, the concept of time, space and possibility were a constant thought. In order to capture the essence of possibility I used a variety of different mediums to collide with one another to make up the art piece. I ended up layering acrylic paint, watercolor, fine line markers, collages and magazine scraps on a 9" x 12" piece of paper. By layering material and bringing together pieces of life which may not normally interact, I drew a connection to the fracturing of space, borders, time and reality. It is my intention that in viewing this piece onlookers will see how the layers of paper, text, paint, glass, and wood are all separated yet together. In the use of this technique I also wanted to highlight all of the many intricate pieces which make up the depth filled moments in latine/x creations and their use of the speculative. By creating a star filled background with orb-like spaces introducing new moments, I wanted to show the possibility of an incorporated world where humans and life mesh in unexpected yet peacefully linking moments, thus breaking the weighted concept of borders.
I decided to add a sense of clutter to the piece to have viewers constantly looking at different details and how they all inherently work together. By the inclusion of the orbs which contain spacey images and text, I want viewers to think about circular temporality and how time is endless and non-linear in space. The breaking of time and space is also referenced by the flowers of hope growing out of a time wormhole in outer space. I added the combination of man made and real flowers to represent the hope that readers of speculative fiction feel when beginning to understand just how much possibility for understanding, connecting and change can be out there in the galaxy. Furthermore, matching the healing which can be created from hope in latine/x communities, I included gold accents across the piece. By adding the gold accents I wanted the beams to imitate those of the sun and the warmth and vibrancy of color that are felt from our solar star. I also chose to use these gold accents which seem to have a light texture on the surface, intended to look like sets of fingerprints. The fingerprints reminded me of latine/x families and communities and how tightly knit they can be in the face of struggle. By thinking of this and including it in the artwork, I wanted to expand on the idea of the touching of heritage, culture, and connectivity across generations that is reaching, grasping, and held by love and visibly shimmering hope.
This artwork is my personal way of exploring the speculative through art. In this piece I intertwine my own latine heritage and the investigation of my culture, family, and history of generational connectivity. The audience for my artwork is all groups of people, especially those who seek out new perspectives and knowledge. I hope that with taking in the art viewers begin understanding that the presence of latine/x individuals in sci-fi begins the questioning of history and the questioning of presence, which is an important start to change. This transportation of understanding and knowledge can aid in bringing up different modes of thinking. I hope that viewing the art creates a space that pushes the reader to ask questions, think creatively, solve social problems, begin to break norms in the structure of our lives and begin exploring things through a lens that transforms already existing issues through a sci-fi filled world.
