My Final Project: Ana Mendieta Process

David Sroka                                                                                                        December 6^th, 2017

Self Image

Professor Cacoilo

Ana Mendieta Process

            Over the semester, after learning about Ana Mendieta’s work, her name has stuck into my brain and I cannot seem to get it out.  I want to try to save the world, and while thinking about that thought, Ana Mendieta pops up again in my mind.  The connection I make is that Ana Mendieta was against violence, and to promote that, she made numerous self-portraits of her beaten up.  I believe she thought that was all she could do to stop violence.  I believe it is a really sad thing that she died because she would have such a huge influence over today’s problems. 

            So I figure I make these 2 photos to tribute to her.  The subject of these images is basically a tribute to Ana Mendieta as she took photos similar to these to promote that violence is bad.  I Photoshopped these two self portraits to make it seem like I just got beat up and I am feeling blue.  In the image on the left, I look like I got beat up with some serious bruises.  Ana Mendieta used serious bruises to take self portraits against violence.  I think it looks a little scary.  On the right I put a shade to give a depressed look and added the teardrop, moon and sun.  I think it gives off a depressed look and it may give a weird or mixed feeling.  I want this feeling to be known as the stop violence feeling, because it ends up horrible and in a disgusting, bloody mess.

            I categorize my work as mixed media as it is a regular photo mixed with photoshop effects.  You can compare my work to all artists against violence.  The difference between my midterm and this is that my midterm was more about a how a person may feel about their look.  This is about Ana Mendieta.  What influenced the change between my midterm and final is me wanting to do something more direct, and Ana Mendieta was my choice.