As I searched for a designer to write about, I noticed how few well-known minority designers exist. Obviously that's awful, so I decided to find someone that reflected my own heritage and views. Then, I found Soraida Martinez.
Soraida Martinez is a Puerto Rican painter and designer and feminist. Soraida is the creator of what is considered the first socially conscious art style of the 21st century. Verdadism is a combination of the Spanish word "Verdad" (truth) and the English word for "theory". In this style of design, every piece carries the weight of social commentary, Soraida's specifically focusing on feminism, minority rights, and education opportunity.
Puerto Rican Stereotype: The Way You See Me Without Looking At Me © 1992
I absolutely love this specific work about the way Puerto Rican women are expected to act as a whole, especially when we pride ourselves in being beautifully diverse. She depicts her message of unfair standards including sexualization of even the most traditional styles of Puerto Rican culture for women. Seeing the prejudice that I face everyday be expressed in visual images was an eye-opener. I was already aware of them, but seeing them shown so clearly made me remember that I was not the only one experiencing this. The act of reaching out to women experiencing these gross generalizations is the purpose of the piece.
What Prejudice Looks Like © 1993
_______________
The oil painting shown here is one of my top favorites because of the way that it accurately shows what her perception of prejudice is, speaking of it as an unbalanced awkwardness. My favorite element is the contrasts between the strict geometric shapes of most of the painting- they fit together in a way that is asymmetrical and slightly "off", which I believe enforces her purpose wonderfully.
I am grateful that she has opened this pathway for the exposure of the discrimination that most people ignore and accept as a daily attitude. Her art inspires me to add more depth to the meaning of my work, like reflecting what society would immediately think when they first glance at the piece and manipulating that into the purpose.
Comments