My object for bridge 3 is a vintage nameplate bracelet that was handed down to me from my mother, this article of jewelry is a prominent gift given for a girl becoming a woman in traditional Catholic/Mexican culture. For bridge 3 I wanted to focus on my personal connection to the piece, as a Mexican American, this object holds great presence in tradition and has now been appropriated into pop culture and fashion trends. The idea of displaying your identity can be related to establishing status or pride, so the first image that I selected was a photograph of a teenage girl in Mexico, her accessories tell the story of her origin and her vanity. The next two photographs by Estavan Oriol are portraits of two Mexican men, in the same way a nameplate publicizes identity, tattoos on a body display affiliation and personal identity.
Tattoos are considered a trend, but for many cultures around the world, they can act as a tool, specifically for gang affiliations and can reflect religious affiliation. Subconsciously, there is an underlying presence of my own identity as a Mexican American.
The last photo is from HBO’s Sex in the City, Carrie Bradshaw’s necklace had appropriated a traditional artifact into a fashion trend.
