Self Portrait

Barbara Carrasco is a pioneering artist who advocates for social justice through her murals and paintings. In this print, she presents herself in a track-and-field uniform, a reference to the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. The “2” across Carrasco’s chest addresses the competition within the male-dominated field of muralism and the inescapable notoriety of “No. 1,” the artist David Alfaro Siqueiros, whose name is written on her paintbrush. A roller brush threatens to whitewash her and the entire composition, indicative of the backlash Latina artists often faced for challenging traditional roles in both Anglo-American and Mexican American cultures. Despite the number on her dress, Carrasco represents herself crossing the finish line, breaking through the barrier of social expectations.