Women’s History Month Spotlight: Stefania Tejada
In honor of #WomensHistoryMonth, we’ve connected with some amazing women on Tumblr from different industries and backgrounds to discuss how their perspective shapes their art, work, family, activism, and more. First up is Stefania Tejada (@stefaniatejada), a Colombian artist and illustrator whose work often speaks on taboo subjects women face.
Your latest series, “The Birth of Venus,” explores how women are confronting the world. How did this series start and why was it important for you to create this series?
All of my work is really personal and it’s a response to very specific moments and transitions. I grew up in a time where it wasn’t okay to ask major questions about your body or things you felt that are completely normal. There was this huge taboo about everything: sexual education, menstruation, pleasure, depression, anxiety, homosexuality, etc. I studied in an all-girls high school with nuns so we really didn’t have any sort of sexual education. It was all presented as some sort of sin, and in general, parents didn’t feel comfortable discussing the subject either.
So in some way, “The Birth of Venus” shows the woman that I am today. I think about the girl I used to be when I was very little, very shy about speaking my mind or pursuing something I really wanted. But I’ve been lucky. I’ve met very important people in my life who picked my brain, made me think and understand that I am me, I deserve to live the life I want, the life I choose to have. That I can have my own opinion, that I must speak up, respect myself and respect others. I learned about acceptance and forgiveness. I learned to always stay curious, to work hard, and dream big. I feel very lucky to have my family and friends.
Can you talk to us about your featured artwork and the story behind it? We’re in awe.
This piece was made after Dolce & Gabbana’s statement towards Chinese culture. I was amazed and shocked [by] this way of thinking. For me, understanding other people’s culture is so fascinating. I try to live in different places and learn as much as I can. You need to understand somebody else’s past, present, and future before judging someone.
As Colombians, we have always been generalized for the past. Many of us were scared to try to change things because people were trying to survive. When I was little I remember the Guerrilla coming into our town and the four of us hiding under the bed listening to gunfire right outside our door. The mistakes of a few became the mistakes of all of us. And that happens with so many cultures, but it’s up to us to teach others about respect, acceptance, and forgiveness. It all comes from education.
Could you imagine what we could do if we were to stand together? All of the positive things we could do? There could be a future for all of us. A future we would all be proud of.
We live in a time where it’s important to showcase all identities of women and their contributions to society. How does your art encompass that?
I believe every person is a piece of art. The elements that shaped their personalities, the stories that triggered something inside of them and motivated them to be who they are now—I called them treasures. I’ve watched so many documentaries about people and movements: Nina Simone, Whitney Houston, She’s Beautiful When She’s Angry, The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Queen, Obama, The Defiant Ones, Steve Jobs, 2Pac, you name it.
I believe you can learn from anyone. I chose to focus on women empowerment because I had to find a way to empower myself because it’s something I needed at the time and it helped me believe in myself. And along the way women I didn’t even knew started writing to me about feeling the same way thanks to my work. In my mind we are all together, all these women that I draw are part of who I am. Some of them have shaped my future, some of them have sacrificed themselves for us so that we can speak up, vote, marry whoever we want, choose whether we want to have children or not. We owe them everything and this is my way of continuing their legacy. To live a life that has meaning.
Thank you for sharing your work with us, @stefaniatejada ! Tumblr, have you made any art for Women’s History Month yet? Show it off by making a post and tagging it #WomensHistoryMonth.
This interview has been condensed and edited.
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