Theses and Dissertations

Date of Award

12-1-2025

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Fine Arts (MFA)

Department

Art

First Advisor

Clara Joungyun Choi

Second Advisor

Elizabeth McCormack-Whittemore

Third Advisor

Timothy Gonchoroff

Abstract

This thesis explores the intersection of art, linguistics, and ideography through the lens of personal and cultural heritage rooted in the Huasteca region of Central Mexico. Drawing inspiration from familial connections to the pueblos of Huazalingo and Huejutla in Hidalgo, Mexico, the research examines the cultural complexities of bicultural and binational experiences. It is grounded in the theoretical framework of Nepantla, a concept introduced by Gloria Anzaldúa to describe the unseen space of the border life as one of existing between worlds, identities, and cultures. Included and essential to this work is the Coyolxauhqui Imperative, which informs the process of fragmentation and reassembly as an act of healing and transformation.

This research uses traditional Mesoamerican step fret motifs to create tactile artworks and visually represents the Nahuatl language through font design, fostering accessibility and personal cultural reclamation. Using Anzaldua’s Theories, the thesis blends familial heritage with contemporary expressions of identity. Much like reassembling the dismembered goddess Coyolxauhqui, this thesis establishes the work of reclaiming and reconstructing cultural identity through art and design.

Set against the backdrop of the Rio Grande Valley's rich border culture, Decolonizing the Whitexican: Reclaiming Identity Through Nahuatl and Mesoamerican Motifs, discusses reconstructing one's whole self by piecing together language, memory, and visual culture from histories fractured by colonization and assimilation. While fostering dialogue around Nepantla identities, this project serves as both a creative and an academic exploration, inviting others to engage with their own cultural identity and contribute to the broader effort of cultural preservation and healing.

Comments

Copyright 2025 Laia Ivanna Vite Cano. All Rights Reserved. https://proquest.com/docview/3292438162

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