Chilean Art

Chileans have a way of expressing themselves very passively. Chilean art during Pinochet's Dictatorship did not have any paintings, instead, mentioned in the "Art as Politics in '70s Chile" article, they rather had posters, tapestry, and performances. Some artists used intense subjects, such as children in Chile dying from milk contamination in 1971. This was expressed through the "Vaso de Leche, Bogotá" by Cecilia Vicuña.  Others focused on humor, such as Carlos Leppe's video "Las Cantatrices." The hyper-realism and metal masks, seems almost like a cartoon, but rather represents the torture the military ensued on Chileans. The tapestries Chileans developed are called Arpilleras. They were created during Picochets dictatorship. They seem childlike and almost having no meaning, but rather having a deeper meaning. One represents a father missing at a family dinner table, in his place is a question mark. The question mark represents the loss of men being killed or escaping during the dictatorship. This swept over Chile and just spray painting a question mark represents so much more then just a question. Another "slogan" used at the Pinochent dictatorship, was "No Mas." To Nonchileans this just means no more, but to Chileans this represents no more hate, violence, and dictatorship.

Chilean art wasn't just represented during the dictatorship, its also is happening currently. Recently, an artist called Papas Fritas burnt student loan debt papers that students from Vina del Mar got even though they didn't attend a day of classes. The burned papers are on display in his art exhibit. Also, another expression that Chileans use is Street Art . This is all over cities; on buildings, houses, fences, and shops. This shows how people feel about certain political, social-economical, or educational events happening locally. It also provides others to think about these subjects. 

I really hope to see street art in Chile. I've always enjoyed seeing people express themselves and show others how they are thinking. I am not sure if it is illegal or not in Chile to have street art, but in Virginia, at least in Chesapeake, it is. I went to Austin, Texas and down town they have an area dedicated to people to develop street art. I think it's really important to have places where it is allowed to have people express themselves and expand their beliefs that they may be afraid to speak out loud.