“Untitled (Guanaroca: First Woman)” is an artwork created by artist Ana Mendieta in 1981. As an exemplar of the Feminist Art movement, this work is classified within the performance genre. The artwork reflects the themes prevalent in Mendieta’s oeuvre, which often explore identity, gender, and her Cuban heritage through earth-body artistry.
The artwork appears to be a photograph capturing an ephemeral sculptural performance by Ana Mendieta. We can see an impression or carving in an earthy material, possibly sandstone or a similar sedimentary rock, which represents a female figure. The figure is abstracted but clearly depicts a torso with arms and a pronounced pelvic area. Due to the style of the carving and its significant contours, there is a palpable sense of connection to the natural world and an emphasis on the feminine form, suggesting themes of fertility, origin, or the universal concept of “Mother Earth”. The texture of the surrounding material is rough and unrefined, contrasting with the smoother curvilinear aspect of the sculpted figure, thereby enhancing its visual impact and symbolic gravity.
