Laura Costa

Date of Award

2016

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Humanities

First Advisor

Anderson, Kim

Area of Concentration

Art

Abstract

Under the guise of scientific exploration, enthusiasm surrounding 17th century insect collecting worked to reinforce the powers of European colonial imperialism. By considering the implications of the commercial consumption of indigenous items, including beetles, flowers, chocolate and sugar, I have taken a closer look at Dutch Golden Age still life painting, which acted as an extension of global trade. I have considered these phenomena utilizing the theories of anthropophagy and hybridity. The theory from Oswald Andrade’s Manifesto Antropofago acknowledges the colonial history of Brazil by consuming hegemonic European ideas and transforming them to create a uniquely postcolonial Brazilian cultural identity. These ideas continue in contemporary art theories of hybridity, utilized in the work of Beatriz Milhazes, Adriana Varejão, and Vik Muniz. In my paintings and prints, the combination of European and Brazilian influences act as a way to take a closer look at the postcolonial ramifications of the seemingly disparate pursuits of art and science. Ultimately by considering the innate power dynamics of trade items, I seek to express ideas about cultural identity through my work as a way to reclaim my heritage that has undergone a series of transformations via European imperialism, globalization, and geographical migration.

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