Adrianne Reece

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Mi Religión showcases its electrifying embodiment of independence and womanhood at the Student Satellite Gallery

Located in downtown Huntsville, Sam Houston State University’s Student Satellite Gallery is an exhibition space for current students and alumni to broadcast their artistry. From Sept. 12 to the 21, SHSU alumni and current University of Texas at San Antonio student, Gabi Magaly, had the opportunity to showcase her Mi Religión piece.

Gabi Magaly, present in her 2019 Archival Pigment Print creation titled Con el Nopal en la Frente, yearned to build a theme of embracing freedom that she felt was not present in her Machismo culture. Courtesy of Gabi Magaly

She beautifully tells a story on tapestry, rich green, blue and gold hues embroidering her clothing as she represents different religious leaders. Though different, a consistent theme fluidly moves through each photograph: independence within womanhood can exist. Magaly’s muse for her artwork stems from her Mexican-American upbringing and observation of her Machismo and Marianismo culture. She noticed that placated and tongue biting women don’t speak or act up, that mothers “always has rice and tortillas on the table at precisely six o’clock”, and daughtersare being raised to submit to men and being taught to fetishize purity and holiness.

“What started this process was when I started to question my religion,” Magaly expressed, “in the Catholic faith, women have to be submissive to their husbands. That didn’t settle well with me because my mom told me growing up: ‘don’t depend on no man because he takes everything away from you, but he can’t take away your degree. So, you need to go to college and focus on yourself.’ But at the same time, I had to make a promise to La Virgen de Guadalupe on my Quinceañera to save my virginity till marriage. I didn’t find it fair that us girls had to make such a big promise to the Virgen and that the boys didn’t have to.”

Within recognizing the toxicity that veiled women of those cultures, Magaly made it a mission to weave products that were used in her household and themes of women empowerment, positive change and inclusivity to illustrate her artistic statement. From using fiesta spices, blankets, candles and many more, a source of her upbringing seamlessly connects to the storyline. They beautifully and organically create a canvas filled with hope, that any woman, especially ones that resembled her brown features, glossing along her work has the power to own her independence and unapologetically live in her truth.

“I tried to embody La Virgen but dressing up like what I would want her to look like in my world, which was showing skin and owning her sexuality. I was simply tired of being told to cover yourself because that’s not ‘lady-like’,” she informed, “I honestly was worried that my family would be upset with the series because I was making these blankets from my experience growing up and didn’t want to come off as making fun of our religion.

Mi Religion’s embodiment massively intertwines personal moments of inspiration, and one heartwarming experience at a San Antonio art show solidified Magaly’s reasoning for creating this piece.

“I had two little girls waiting to take a picture with me and they were so shy that their mom had to talk for them. The mom told me, ‘Thank you for making work using yourself because my daughters hardly get to see themselves portrayed in the art world and that’s the reason why they wanted so long to take a picture with you.’ I started to cry because I never thought my artwork would inspire anyone let alone two little girls that reminded me of myself when I was little. That’s honestly the reason I used myself because I want to be the representation that I never saw growing up.”

To see more of Mi Religion and Gabi Magaly’s other work, visit www.gabimagaly.com.