I have always rooted for the underdog- no matter if that was a small business owner, a shelter animal, or the short kid trying to make a lay-up. As I grew older that whimsical cheerleading was directed more into an activist for human rights, and then after I became a mother of 2 little girls it became an obsession for gender equality. I am a conceptual artist that is influenced by the way women are treated around the globe on a daily basis. It is too easy to turn a blind eye to injustices we see if they do not affect us personally, and I want to bring awareness to those ideas that people ignore. I want people to become aware, have understanding, grow outraged, and take action to change the way the world treats women. My art practice highlights these inequalities women face daily.
Content for “In Spite Of”:
“In Spite Of” is an installation that is comprised of over 150 headlines taken from international newspapers from 2019 illustrating women being treated unjustly, a triangle bench reminiscent of Judy Chicago’s “The Dinner Party” representing women, a tree representing a tree of life for women’s rights- the tree will never grow taller in a room with a ceiling, it does not possess leaves or flowers and is, in essence, static, all within a room that is painted blue and pink, representing the women’s fight for equality. This installation is a visual representation of how women are treated globally every day.
– Jamie Valdez received a BFA in Creative Photography at CSUF. Currently in the Studio Art MFA Program at CSUSB. @jamie.L.valdez
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