The Penitent Magdalene
Amaris M.
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Mary Magdelene was a prostitute and an archetypical sinful woman who, in the original painting by Titian, traverses the desert atoning for her sins. It wasn’t until Jesus (pbuh) showed her she could be more than her past self. This painting and Mary Magdelene’s story reminded me of the sinful woman characterization often portrayed by Latina women. Though white men in Old Hollywood invented these stereotypes, they are still perpetuated to this day and led me to believe that I had to embody them to identify as a true Latina. This appropriated photograph represents my struggle with redefining what it means to be Latina and accepting that I don’t have to be a symbol of exoticism and sensuality.
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To me, creativity means life. Without creativity, there would be no life; this world would be dull without it. Creativity gives us the freedom to express our individuality and bring life to issues that concern us as artists.
