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Dolores Huerta

Object Details

Exhibition Label
Through her example as a labor and civil rights leader, and her challenge to norms that restrict women’s role in society, Huerta became an early symbol of female power for the Chicano and feminist movements.
Chicana artist Barbara Carrasco made this portrait in homage to Huerta. Carrasco became a supporter of the farm workers’ movement in the 1970s and served for decades as a volunteer staff artist for the UFW. Carrasco, who considers Huerta her mentor and a close friend, explained her motivations for this portrait: “There are so many icons of men, and icons of women painted by men, that I wanted (as a woman) to create an iconic image of Huerta to recognize her as an equal of César Chávez and, historically, the most important negotiator for the United Farm Workers.”
Dolores Huerta
Con su ejemplo como líder laboral y defensora de los derechos civiles, a la vez que desafió las reglas que restringían el papel de la mujer en sociedad, Huerta se convirtió en uno de los primeros símbolos del poder femenino para los movimientos chicano y feminista.
La artista chicana Barbara Carrasco realizó este retrato en homenaje a Huerta. Carrasco fue simpatizante del movimiento de los trabajadores agrícolas durante los años setenta y trabajó por varias décadas como artista voluntaria para la UFW. Considera a Huerta su mentora y amiga, y explicó así lo que la motivó a hacer este retrato: “Existen tantos iconos de hombres, e iconos de mujeres pintados por hombres, que quise [como mujer] crear una imagen icónica de Huerta para honrarla como figura a la altura de César Chávez y como la negociadora más importante en la historia de la Unión de Trabajadores Campesinos”.
Barbara Carrasco (nacida en 1955)
Serigrafía, 1999
Galería Nacional de Retratos, Instituto Smithsonian; adquisición posible gracias al apoyo del Latino Initiatives Pool, administrado por el Centro Latino del Smithsonian
Data Source
National Portrait Gallery
Artist
Barbara Carrasco, born 1955
Sitter
Dolores Huerta, born 10 Apr 1930
Date
1999
Credit Line
National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; acquisition made possible through the Smithsonian Latino Initiatives Pool, administered by the Smithsonian Latino Center.
Medium
Screenprint on paper
Dimensions
Sheet: 77.6 × 56.9 cm (30 9/16 × 22 3/8")
Frame: 87 × 65.1 cm (34 1/4 × 25 5/8")
Type
Print

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