Field Report: A Visit to the Centro Cultural de la Raza Essay

Hispanic heritage is an important concept that surrounds my entire life. I have lived in Colombia until I turned fourteen years old. Colombia is a beautiful country in South America and consist of mostly Hispanic individuals. This culture has been important in my life because it helps define who I am and how I view the world. It was not until I moved to the United States that I began to become more aware of different ethnic groups. I grew up in a city where everyone was the same, looked the same and had the same cultural behaviors in our country.

Artworks have played an indelible work to the lives of humanity. The creative nature in Artists is a complex matter to define. The uncertainties in the intrinsic nature in art lay difficult aspects that can only be answered by values, themes and skills depicted in an artist artwork. Apart from playing the intricate psychological effect on humans, the artworks have been used as a tool of expression that has been revered and uniquely preserved for future generation. Among some of the most revered modern forms of artwork has included Chicano Art that had a core relationship to Las Carpas, Indigenismo, rascuachismo and other forms of performance art.

less a very knowledgeable trip. One part of Hispanic culture that I feel is at the top of importance is the

Murals are the quintessential public art embodying the spirit of the community in which they are created. They say this is who we are, this is what we think, this is where we come from, and this is what we want, reflecting most clearly any changes in the sociopolitical environment. Murals lay out a powerful visual image of the ideology of their creators or sponsors, be it the Church during the Renaissance, government funded projects, or individuals expressing opposition. In Mexico, after the Mexican Revolution of 1917, the government commissioned a vast number of mural projects to transmit its revisionist history of the country, and celebrate the empowerment of the underclass in their recent victory. Predominate themes were cultural

Ancient Mexico is a grandiose mural which represents the main events of Mexico’s history from the Pre-Columbian Period to Modern Time. The inspiration came to Diego Rivera, from the nationalist movement of his country. Therefore, the mural elements are prototypical of the painting style’s era. Physically the mural is located on the stairway of the Mexican National Palace, in Mexico City; which is the place where the Presidents work. This mural was commissioned at the end of the Mexican Revolution by the federal government. Moreover, this masterpiece depicts its era, considering that this was the dominating genre in the 1920’s, among the Mexican painters.

The hispanic culture has many diverse, interesting, and unique views when it comes to the topic of death, dying, ghosts, and funeral arrangements. Because hispanic culture has many influences from not only modern day religious beliefs like the dominant religion of Roman Catholicism but also from ancient religions and culture such as the Maya and Aztec there is often times a mixed view on death. Similarly, because of the diversity in the history of hispanic culture there are many different cultural influences such as holidays like El dia de los muertos and long held folklore that makes the topic of death and dying in the hispanic culture very interesting.

People all over the world wish to obtain one thing in their life. These hopeless people want to firmly grasp this idea. This key that would open doors leading to paradise; a safe haven where they can have everything their selfless minds could ever want. In their dreams they react the same scenario over and over. Sometimes accomplishing their goals, and other times watching as their dreams are stripped away by an unstoppable, demonic entity.When they do miraculously reach their safe haven. They quickly realize their struggle does not end yet, and with every inch of effort they put in life. Other people will double their efforts to prevent them from living the American dream.

Without a doubt, The Hispanic Society of America is a museum where the artwork does not show Hispanic people fighting, but instead, it shows a healthy image. A visitor of the museum said, in a 2016 article that “one feels transported to another time and another place.” This shows that when you are in the museum, you can concentrate, and feel peaceful. You can feel what the paintings are trying to communicate in the most comfortable way possible.

Chicano San Diego Cultural Space and the Struggle for Justice edited by Richard Griswold Del Castillo

Casa San Ysidro is a nonprofit Albuquerque museum located in Corrales, New Mexico. Corrales is located on the western bank of the Rio Grande and is surrounded by the city of Albuquerque, Rio Rancho, and Bernalillo. The city offers visitors a glimpse into the past with its Spanish style architecture, art, New Mexican cuisine, beer, wine, and so much more. Casa San Ysidro is revered as one of Corrales’ treasures. The Corrales brochure found on the Visit Corrales website describes Casa San Ysidro as a “Word class Spanish Colonial collection of artifacts, including furnishings housed in a partially reconstructed 19th century home”. The Gutiérrez home as it was known then, was built in circa 1875 by descendants of Don Felipe Gutiérrez who were recipients

The museum represents the distinct way in which many of these artist were uplifted due to the ideas set forth by Ortiz. He was able to set out to gather a community in which people would feel proud and inspired by their cultural background. The main purpose of the museum was to promote a sense of identity and give the Latino community a way to promote their culture. The museum would eventually bring together the community and inform others of their prominent role in society. Also, it would help empower the Latino community, as the museum would voice their opinions through the artworks shown. El Museo is a representation of the cultural history and the way that people were able to establish a foundation of cultural unity. The positive impact that the museum had on the community was forced upon the people as they realized how important the culture was, as the community began to crumble. El Museo served as a way to preserve the culture and enforce the voices of the Latinos for future generations. (Hackshaw,

It wouldn’t be an unknown fact that America is greatly populated by the Hispanic culture. Whether that be a mix of European and Hispanic races, there is no doubt that there is a strong Latino presence in the United States. Because of immigration in the 1800’s, and the overrun of the European and Hispanic countries onto American soil, thick cultural history was buried into the American melting pot. And though both European and Hispanic cultures came into America, Hispanics gravitated toward the west coast, because of its vicinity to the Mexican border. Their culture is greatly represented in America through their art, their identity, and their relationships with others in places like Texas, California, and Nevada.

Artist Joe Stephenson created “Sin Un Pasado, No Hay Futuro” mural located on 2nd Street and Gold, Downtown Albuquerque, in August of 1994 to convey the lesson we are forever frozen in time without the knowledge of our past. Together we can achieve greatness in our future with the guidance of the past. It’s a sad thing when a culture, or tradition is forgotten and lost in time. This mural is showing us how important it is to preserve New Mexican history, culture, and traditions for generations to come and the negative impact it can lead to if we fail to do so.

While America’s tongue speaks mostly English, the Spanish language can be found immensely spread across forty-five million people. In the American Southwest, while Hispanics may speak English, they maintain their tradition, their Raza, every day. Often times, this tradition is seen as a mixture of the two different languages better known as Spanglish. There is a large population of Chicanos and Mexicans in America, and it is important that they know and keep the customs and culture of their people. You can’t know where you’re going until you know where you’ve been. Hispanic Culture has had a major impact on America over each generation.

When someone thinks of the hispanic and latino community the first thought that occurs in their head is the importance the culture means to the people which brings on the big celebrations, feast and family gatherings making it seem like such a positive outlook. Of course just like every other thing in life there is a negative outlook as well. That negative outlook in the chicano culture would be that the race, class, and gender of someone will determine how one lives their life. For men that will be a great turnout, but for woman that is a different story, due to the fact that occasionally women are seen as inferior. Every beginning needs a start, the start for these occurrence would bring us back the history of the hispanic people in the U.S.