Cuban Muses: La Lupe & Ana Mendieta

Happy Women’s History Month! This month is all the women who continue to find yeses where there are nos, who rise, speak up, and make the world a better place on their own accord. Today is also International Women of Color Day, and as a Cuban Brazilian American, with African ancestry, I look to the women of color who have inspired me throughout the years and on my journey with SEÑOREATA. I want kick off the month with a couple of badass Cubanas who have made an impact on me with the talent they shared with the world.

La Lupe, Cuban singer

“Queeee te pediiiiii” Ugh. What a voice! La Lupe was the original Cuban queen of Latin soul. She was a rebel, and an innovator with no-holds-barred when it came to her opinion. She was controversial, cool, and independent. Her performances were unforgettable, with wild movements, screams, and completely fabulous unpredictability. She’d belt out every word with sazon and passion, taking off her shoes to dance, and pulling out her hair on stage. She was a true artist with a tragic ending. Watch her go:

Ana Mendieta, Cuban Artist

Ana Mendieta is the definition if immersing yourself in your work. In her ephemeral yet prolific career, Ana pushed societal, political, racial, ad gender boundaries through her work. She was a Cuban performance artist, painter, and sculptor. She used her body, the Earth, and organic materials such as fire, wood, dirt, blood, and feathers in her performances, videos, and prints. My favorite series of hers, is called Silueta, in which her body or an outline of her body was impressed into various outdoor sites and photographed or filmed. Silueta echoed her sense of cultural displacement and urged onlookers to rid themselves of all definitive qualities— status, gender, and race— in order to connect with another on a human, humane level.

I hope you find inspiration in these Cuban women, I have made numerous batches of Picadillo and pastelitos to La Lupe playing in the background, and have found belonging in the art of Ana Mendieta when navigating through my own cultural identity. This month is for todas las mujeres, and may it be a standard to which we celebrate women all year round!

Con corazón y sazón,

Evanice