Erika L. Sanchez's I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter

The Reflective Nature of Art. Art is a vessel of self expression that aids humanity in discoveries of one’s own self. Each painting tells a compelling story intertwined with deep emotions, portraying the realities of life. Thus, it is within art that people find pieces of themselves that spark journeys of self realization and reflection. Similarly, in Erika L. Sanchez’s I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter, the protagonist, Julia, finds herself in the immersive paintings of The Art Institute of Chicago. Julia is reeling from the unexpected death of her sister Olga, the expectations of her undocumented parents, and the rapid decline of her mental health. However, it is within the Institute walls she is able to see her emotions expressed in …show more content…

Julia remarks, “There are moments I miss her just as much as I did when she first died. I know we weren’t that close, but now that she’s gone, I feel like I’m missing an organ” (Sanchez 181). The event of losing Olga escalated Julia’s feelings of loneliness because she is now an only sibling and her depressive episodes push her closest family and friends away. Moreover, her feelings are comparable to Hopper's painting where the eerie silence and solitude of the strangers creates an overall sense of darkness. Therefore, it is clear why Julia has a connection to Nighthawks because it reflects the inner darkness she feels within her mind. Thus, darkness thrives in the desperation of hopelessness and loneliness. Moreover, Pablo Picasso’s The Old Guitarist reflects the emotional impact of Julia’s depression and impoverished state. Picasso’s paintings were created during his blue period, 1901-1904, which reflected a period of emotional turmoil and consistency of pain in his own life. The Old Guitarists depicts an older, sullen man holding a guitar. The man, slumped in painful angles, has tattered clothing and sunken cheekbones, indicating his lower socioeconomic