Portrait of the Artist as the Virgin of Guadalupe (1978)
This piece by Yolanda Lopez is titled, "Portrait of the Artist as the Virgin of Guadalupe" and was painted in 1978. It is one of three paintings Lopez has made depicting her, her mother, and her grandmother as the Our Lady of Guadalupe. Our Lady has been venerated as a symbol of strength and compassion, especially among women. At its core, this particular painting represents all working class Mexican-American women. By painting herself as Our Lady, Lopez revolutionizes the traditional image many Chicano/a people are accustomed to worshiping. She is transformed from a holy image into a real woman who is capable (and deserving) of being emulated and worshiped. In an interview, Lopez stated that "the Virgin of Guadalupe is beautiful, serene and passive. She has no emotional life or texture of her own. I feel living, breathing women also deserve [the] respect and love lavished on Guadalupe." After Lopez gets a hold of her, She is a woman you know. She is you, your grandmother, or your mother as Lopez has depicted in her work. She is strong and capable of defeating her demons, shown in the painting by Lopez gripping the snake by the neck. She is draped in this tapestry, which represents the many responsibilities she takes upon herself but it does not weigh her down. Lopez created an actual role model here, rather than looking up to a spiritual icon she used herself to embody the spirit of millions of women.