Mestizaje - by Kathy Sosa (Hardcover)

About the Book

A rich visual exploration of the blended cultures of women in the Mexico - U.S. borderlands

Book Synopsis

Derived from the words miscere and genus in Latin, mestizaje refers to a mixing of the races. In the book bilingual book Mestizaje, internationally acclaimed artist Kathy Sosa presents a cross-sectional view of Mexican American culture as it is practiced in the centuries-old blended culture of the Texas-Mexico borderlands. She documents and projects the effects across generations of peoples and cultures meeting, overlapping, and organically blending into something new. The richness and beauty of mestizaje come from a place where people speak Spanglish, eat Tex-Mex food, and dance to Willie Nelson and Flaco Jimenez--sometimes all at once. Sosa foretells what much of the United States has become or will be like before long.

The imagery and symbolism of puro mestizaje (total mix) figure prominently in Sosa's work, and it is a mix unique to the borderlands' historical traditions and myriad cultures. Sosa derives inspiration from and reflects a bold palette of strong female figures. Celebrating what the women of these borderlands think, feel, and revere culturally, she explores the roles of indigenous traditions, colors, and textiles. Family, friends, neighbors, and acquaintances--real and imagined--participate in the spirit of mexicanidad, though most were not born in Mexico and some have never visited. Supplemented with dual-language essays in English and Spanish by art critics, collectors, and historians, Mestizaje rejoices in feminist notions of blended cultures and opens readers' eyes to the lessons they offer and what they tell us about America today.

Review Quotes

"Mestizaje honors women and is a joyous riot of patterns and colors inspired by the vibrancy of Tehuantepec huipiles and American quilts. Kathy Sosa's palette leaps across borders in a trajectory that celebrates opposites such as Mexican trees of life morphing into Byzantine iconography. She gathers inspiration from across the globe and, ultimately, makes the art her own."

-- Sandra Cisneros

"Kathy Sosa's portraits loudly proclaim 'I am who I am.' She celebrates the power of women's thoughts, being, and cultural and ethnic identities through the glorious use of color, motifs, and historic and symbolic perspectives that honors the reality of who we are."

-- Ellen Riojas Clark

"In this stunningly beautiful and vividly stirring catalogue raisonné of Kathy Sosa's work, she reveals the alchemy of her vision drawn from myriad artistic cultures, histories, and legacies: traditional and folk, figurative and decorative, symbolic and allegorical. Sosa has forged a unique narrative portraiture that celebrates the raza cósmica that has emerged in the crossroads lands of South Texas."

-- John Phillip Santos

"More than 178 pages of quality reproductions, many full-page, of works in various media (oil on canvas, paper, collage, installations) illustrate this well-designed book and provide a solid introduction to Sosa's oeuvre."

-- Daryl Grabarek, Library Journal

"A veritable feast for the eye that elucidates the comingling of contemporary and historical cultural influences in Sosa's work. Especially recommended for libraries in border states."

-- Daryl Grabarek, Library Journal

About the Author

Kathy Sosa is an artist and educator. She received national recognition for her traveling exhibition Huipiles: A Celebration, which debuted at the Mexican Cultural Institute in Washington, D.C., as part of the Smithsonian Latino Center. Her work has been featured on CNN and in other media nationally. She is the coproducer of the documentary series Children of the Revolución: How the Mexican Revolution Changed America's Destiny, which chronicles the history of the Texas-Mexico borderlands. She is the author of Mestizaje: The Feminist Art of Kathy Sosa and the coeditor and illustrator of Revolutionary Women of Texas and Mexico class​ Portraits of Soldaderas, Saints, and Subversives​. She lives in San Antonio, Texas, and Querétaro, Mexico.