"La Unión Hace La Fuerza" (2005) – gouache paint
Created in 1962 by César Chávez' brother Richard Chávez, the huelga thunderbird is a powerful symbol of the United Farm Workers (UFW) Movement. It was designed geometrically for fast and easy reproduction on handmade red flags; a simple image that can be reproduced by anyone.
The eagle design represents strength, power, and dignity. When turned upside-down, the geometric bird forms a Meso-American temple. This symbolic UFW emblem has been a source of pride and courage for generations of Chicanos everywhere.
In La Unión Hace La Fuerza, I created a colorful pattern using the huelga thunderbird as the basis. Taking advantage of its geometric design, I fitted together many eagles to create this intricate puzzle. What makes this painting so interesting is that the pattern also works when flipped upside-down; the result is a different vibrant effect.
To attain a nice balance of colors, I used a red analogous split complementary color scheme in which the eagles are painted in various hues of red and the little gaps in the background are in greens. Without ever using lines, I relied on the separation of colors to create each shape in the painting.️
The eagle design represents strength, power, and dignity. When turned upside-down, the geometric bird forms a Meso-American temple. This symbolic UFW emblem has been a source of pride and courage for generations of Chicanos everywhere.
In La Unión Hace La Fuerza, I created a colorful pattern using the huelga thunderbird as the basis. Taking advantage of its geometric design, I fitted together many eagles to create this intricate puzzle. What makes this painting so interesting is that the pattern also works when flipped upside-down; the result is a different vibrant effect.
To attain a nice balance of colors, I used a red analogous split complementary color scheme in which the eagles are painted in various hues of red and the little gaps in the background are in greens. Without ever using lines, I relied on the separation of colors to create each shape in the painting.️