"Overturning the Cement Slabs": Understanding Bi- and Multiracial Artists' Work Through Gloria Anzaldúa's Autohistoria-teoría

This article examines the words and artwork of bi- and multiracial artist through the lens of Gloria Anzaldúa's theory of autohistoria-teoría , a framework that uses autobiography to understand how individual experiences relate to the larger community and how these stories can be transformative. Drawing on interviews and artworks by bi- and multiracial artists, this project examines the potential for mixed race people to open new dialogues on racial and ethnic identity through visual art. Information on each of the artists interviewed for the study is given, then I apply an autohistoria-teoría framework to reflect on how the personal aspects of the artists' work complexifies understandings of racial and ethnic identity categories. I conclude by examining the potential for transformation through the artist's making and audience's viewing of the artwork.