In studying the art by women of color, it soon becomes apparent that it is impossible to generalize about the use of themes. Often, these artists deal with typical feminist themes, such as institutional sexism or the exploration of womanhood. However, women artists of color also often work with themes relating to their racial or cultural heritages. For example, the Latina artist Yolanda Lopez "questions the idealized stereotypes women are supposed to emulate" by depicting ordinary women in the role of the Virgin Mary, "the most sacred Catholic icon of the Mexican nation" (Goldman, 1989, p. 220). An example of this can be seen in Lopez's Guadalupe Triptych, in which she shows herself, her mother and her grandmother in this role. The African-American artist Betye Saar also seeks to empower women while making statements about racial issues. For example, Saar's The Liberation of Aunt Jemima depicts a stereotypical black housekeeper (or "Mammy") surrounded by images of domestic work (Cliff, 1988, p. 155). At the same time, this construction includes such images as a rifle and a raised fist, both of which were symbols of the black civil rights movement during the 1960's.
Another African-American artist, Elizabeth Catlett, also shows concern for the oppression of black women in particular, as opposed to women in general. For example, although her sculpture Homage to My Young Black Sisters is somewhat abstract, it obviously portrays the image of a woman with "one arm raised in a powerful and defiant fist" (Cliff, 1988, p. 152). The Native American artist Pablita Velarde has emphasized her own cultural heritage by depicting the day-to-day life of the Pueblo Indians. The Japanese-American Mine Okubo has expressed her own heritage by basing many of her drawings on her personal experiences (as "Citizen 13660") in relocation camps during the Second World War.
As noted by Welchman (1989), Okubo's drawings stand in sharp contrast to...