Melanie Cervantes “Rigoberta Menchu Tum” is the Seventh Self Help Graphics Political Print

East Bay artist Melanie Cervantes’ portrait of Rigoberta Menchu Tum is the seventh print in Self Help Graphics’ political print series. The six color print speaks to Melanie’s “lifelong commitment to be an artist of the people,” a role she fulfills as a member of the political art collective Taller Tupac Amaru and Dignidad Rebelde. The subject of the portrait, an indigenous rights activist from Guatemala, represents the urgency of grassroots movements for social justice. From Melanie’s  artist’s statement:

"I created a portrait of Rigoberta Menchú Tum, a Quiche-Maya from Guatemala, in order to lift up a woman who has helped call attention to the genocidal policies being carried out against indigenous people . I feel like it is important to know to be able to understand Rigoberta's story. She helped her family with farm work as a young person and attended school where she received up to an eighth grade education. She was also a major proponent of women's rights when she was only a teenager. She has been recognized for her activist organizing against violations of human rights committed by the Guatemalan army. In 1991, Menchú participated in the ongoing preparation by the United Nations of its Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples which was most recently ratified. Menchu was the 1992 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate in recognition of her social justice and ethno-cultural reconciliation work based on respect for the rights of indigenous people."

Melanie's print in progress.

A burned screen.

The original digital printout.

Josue registers the color.

Color separations.

Melanie signing prints.

Melanie applying the SHG "chop mark"

Final print.

You can see more of Melanie's work on Just Seeds and at "Altars for the Sprits Offerings for the Living" the SOMArts gallery in San Francisco through November 7. 

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