Essentialism and Performativity in the Work of Ana Mendieta Público
Gonzalez, Desiree Marie (2010)
Abstract
Essentialism and Performativity in the Work of Ana
Mendieta
By Desiree Gonzalez
Ana Mendieta (1948-1985) created earth-body sculptures in the 1970s
and 1980s, informed and influenced by the contemporaneous genres of
performance, body, and earth art. Thematically, her work
incorporated issues related to cultural displacement, gender, and
ritual. My honors thesis attempts to understand her complex
practice by looking at her work through the context of feminist
theory, specifically theories of essentialism and performativity.
Interpreted as a way to empower women through the reclamation of
the land, these works have traditionally been considered and at
times criticized for being "essentialist." Much recent scholarship
on Mendieta steers away from the essentialist interpretation,
instead employing Judith Butler's performativity theory as if to
revalidate her work. I argue that both the essentialist and
performative interpretations are valuable to understanding
Mendieta's multifaceted practice. When considered together, these
two critical readings highlight the coexistence of the eternal and
the ephemeral in Mendieta's work. First, an overview of Mendieta's
practice will contextualize her work within the conceptual
frameworks of the time. Next, I investigate Mendieta's alignment
with the feminist art movement. Then I look at how essentialism and
performativity have been applied to readings of her work. Finally,
I look at key examples from her oeuvre and consider how
essentialist and performative theories can be applied to them.
Table of Contents
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction
1
Chapter 1: Ana Mendieta's Artistic Development
7
Chapter 2: Mendieta and the Feminist Art Movement
24
Chapter 3: Essentialism
33
Chapter 4: Performativity
46
Chapter 5: Essentialism, Performativity, and Mendieta's Work
55
Conclusion
66
Bibliography
68
Figures
72
About this Honors Thesis
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