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REBELARTE: What’s In A Name?

Rebel: (noun) one that rebels against authority

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Rebel: (verb) to act in or show disobedience. To feel or exhibit anger or revulsion.

Arte/ Art: Skill acquired by experience or study. The conscious use of skill and creative imagination especially in the production of aesthetic objects; also : works so produced

Rebelar: rebeling

RebelArte: Rebel oneself. Rebel-Art

Why all the definitions? Well I have found that people are always trying to define me, you, you and me, all of us. So I figured out that if I took the time to define myself or at least what it is that I do, it gets easier to battle or just ignore all the stupid definitions created by whoever is trying to inaccurately or straight-up incorrectly define me.

As you can tell by the first definition and by my issues with people trying to define me, I have never been a friend of “authority”. Ever since I can remember I had issues with rules, laws and bosses. As a brown girl ,and now a brown woman, rules, laws and bosses have always told us how to behave and what we can and cannot do. This is especially true of young girls, told by society to dress, behave and look a certain way in order to be deemed “acceptable” and “desirable”. So when I “grew up”, I made the decision that no one would have authority over me. As an artist, my art is the place where I can be most free.

Am I just looking for trouble with this “rebel” thing? Quite the opposite actually! I’m looking to expose and fight those who like to cause trouble to others. Many use art for entertainment, for beauty and happiness. Whereas art does fill my life with beauty and happiness, I also choose, like many who have come before me, to use it as a weapon. Art is a weapon in self-defense, to protect, to survive, to resist, to learn and teach history, to rise above the bullshit…. And more!

As the “rebel” definition above reads (to feel or exhibit anger), not sure about you but when I read/ learn about or personally witness the injustices of our history or those committed today, I get damn angry. For this reason I can’t be the “girl” making “cute” art. Art is:

1. a catharsis to despojarnos from the bullshit
2. a stand to put the guilty on trial for the injustices they commit
3. a place to give props to our heroes and sheroes that the powers that be would rather forget.

Would love to hear from any other creative rebelad@s.

By the way, below is an example of my “rebel art”. This one’s dedicated to the Puerto Rican political prisoners who have been in u.s. federal prisons over 25 years (coño!!!) because of their political beliefs and their desire for Puerto Rico to be an independent country.

To see more you can visit my website at www.yasminhernandez.com.

Yaz