nPosted on November 18, 2019
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Key Points
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nAna Mendieta, born on this date in 1948, lived a safe, middle-class life in Cuba. Her parents were pretty important people in Cuban society. But then Fidel Castro led a group to overthrow the government –
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n– and that threw Mendieta’s life into chaos as well.
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nAt age 12, Ana and her 15-year-old sister were sent to Iowa, in the United States, as political refugees (her father was in jail in Cuba for political reasons). They were sent from place to place, including reform school – but the sisters were able to stay together thanks to their parents sending them with power of attorney forms mandating that they not be separated.
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nWhen Mendieta was 18 years old, her mother and younger brother were finally able to join them in the U.S., and 13 years later her father was FINALLY released from jail and was able to join the family! Yikes!
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nIn the meantime, Mendieta had learned English, discovered a love of art, earned a BA and MA in painting AND an MFA (Masters of Fine Arts) in intermedia (multiple art genres and media). She had moved to New York City.
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nAna Mendieta was an artist: a painter, a sculptor, a video artist, and a performance artist. She made her art in the U.S., Mexico, Cuba, and Italy. Tragically, she died very young – at age 36 – we don’t know whether by accident, suicide, or murder.
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This is not a finger painting, but is rather a two-whole-hands painting. This is how the artist made it: |
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nAlso on this date:
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nPhotography pioneer Louis Daguerre’s birthday
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nPush-Button Phone Day
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nBeni Festival in Trinidad, Bolivia
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nAnniversary of William Tell shooting an apple off his son’s head
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nMickey Mouse’s birthday
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n(or Mickey Mouse Day)
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nFlag Day in Uzbekistan
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nIndependence Day in Morocco
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nNational Day in Latvia and Oman
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nVertières Day in Haiti
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nPlan ahead:
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nCheck out my Pinterest boards for:
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nNovember holidays
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nNovember birthdays
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nHistorical anniversaries in November
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nAnd here are my Pinterest boards for:
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nHistorical anniversaries in December
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