Subject to display - Jennifer A. Gonzalez - Book Research

Reflection 

Throughout this text the author critical reflects on the work of Amalia Mesa-Bains, comparing the use of the alters she frequency assembles to gallery methods of display, engaging the viewer to read in between the lines and gather insights for themselves.The artist, who uses the symbolist power of objects within her instillation, employs objects that would be commonly found in any Mexican home alter into the gallery space. Coupling them with items traditionally more familiarly found in the catholic church, she paints a narrative of her subjects that are all women of significance to Mexican cinema or belief systems. The  sexual nature of women combined with a level of female intimacy pictured through use of materiality and connotations is in direct tension with the belief system of most catholic priests : leaving women to displayed as being sinful, for indulging in such pleasures. The physical appearance of the alter is oven  shell like, acting as a sacred space it protects and memorialises the things most dear to the subject. Through reading this chapter, I have noticed a lot of the themes are continuously brought up again and again in much the same words. It is obvious that the artists heritage plays a crucial part in the development of her work, however at times it almost seems like a re-hash of already well mulled over ideas. Her most successful work in my opinion is entitled Vanitas: Evidence, Ruin Regeneration. This work is most successful as it communicates by a painting by David Bailly of the same name. The  artists works doesn't only play on the themes from the earlier painting, but relates to where it is being displayed by bringing to attention the other items within the museums collection, casting doubt around the view of the establishment as a whole. This is a clever use of the instillation as a device to challenge and engage  the viewer.