Olga Costa's Feminine Mexicanidad

Martin, Paulina Estefania

Publication

Olga Costa's Feminine Mexicanidad

Martin, Paulina Estefania

Date

2021

Abstract

In the early 20th century Mexico, and surely in reaction to the Mexican Revolution, there was a growing desire to create a new nationalist artistic style that could promote mexicanidad, a word that reflects the nature of being Mexican and the pride felt in identifying as Mexican. This pride can be seen in the muralist movement, with its often heroic and hyper-nationalist representations of Mexican identity. Working in Mexico City from 1935-1954, Olga Costa painted Mexican identity from a female perspective, which I define as a feminine mexicanidad. This thesis explores Costa’s depictions of Indigenous women and still lifes which contain products that reflect feminine themes as well as Mexican identity. In the midst of the machista society of post-revolutionary Mexico, Costa added to a feminine mexicanidad that unveiled the active roles that Mexican women played in constructing Mexican identity.