Who Is Ana Mendieta?
by Christine Redfern and Caro Caron
Published 2010 by Feminist Press
Received for review from Feminist Press
55 pages
Read June 2011
I don’t often read about art. Art just isn’t my thing the way, say, Presidential history has been. That being said, the first book explicitly about art that I remember reading was Bitches, Bimbos, and Ballbreakers: The Guerrilla Girls’ Illustrated Guide to Female Stereotypes (Penguin 2003), which I bought and read when I was in high school. Its feminist take on art history got me excited about art for the first time, and led me to take an (ill fated) Art & Music History course in high school (not nearly as interesting, although I also took a course in college called Women & Art which was much better). When I received Who Is Ana Mendieta? in the mail from Feminist Press and saw a quote on the cover from the very same Guerrilla Girls, I did a little happy dance* and read it immediately.
Ana Mendieta was sent with her sister to the United States by their parents in 1962 to escape Fidel Castro’s rule in Cuba. Mendieta created art in several mediums, and is best known for her “earth-body” work. In 1985 she died from injuries sustained after falling from her bedroom window following a fight with her husband, Carl Andre; he stood trial for her murder and was acquitted, after arguing that he was not in the room at the time.
There is a lot to love in this little book. Redfern’s story encompasses both Mendieta’s life as well as the violent situations of other contemporary female artists. By artfully (heh) contextualizing Mendieta’s life, the reader is able to more fully grasp not only the mores of the time but the implications of being a female artist in a world that over-congratulates male violence and exhibitionism. Caron’s illustrations are rich with detail, and often panels merge into one another, adding to the overall contextuality of the writing.
At the end, there is an annotated bibliography entitled “Blind Spot,” which presents the resources used (including newspaper articles, phone records, poetry, etc.), laid out like a newspaper and featuring more of Canon’s stellar drawings. It sealed the deal for me (by reaching out to my nerdier, fact-collecting side). I adored Who Is Ana Mendieta? and if you are anything like me and want to know more about art but have no idea about anything, this book is a great, engaging way to start learning.
Grade: A
Recommended: Highly!
*it happens
Oh, this sounds like fun! Hope my library has it.
I hope it does too! It’s a great read.
One of my favorite studies in the art world is exigence. I love knowing about the artist’s life and reasons for creating. While it may not aid in interpretation, it certainly lends a lot to artist intention which I find just as fascinating.
Her story is so fascinating and the book is so well put together that you can’t help but be interested!
I read the same book!
I’ve never heard of Mendieta, but her story definitely sounds worth reading about. Is this a graphic novel?
It IS a graphic novel…I feel a bit silly for not making that clear. I’ll have to edit the post. Whoops.
Yay! I’m so excited to hear you loved this. I am excited to read it myself!
Hope you like it!
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