A Senior Capstone Experience by Roselyn Garcia ’26

Submitted to the Department of Art & Art History

Advised by Ben Tilghman & Heather Harvey

Contributor Biography: Roselyn Garcia-Mendoza is a Salvadoreña American from Silver Spring, Maryland. They have always felt passionate about the topics of art/history and Central American culture. Despite demonstrating their knowledge and thoughts through the utilization of art, they plan to explore the world of museum work since they wish to amplify minority artists.

Thesis Paper Description: This paper explores the deep connection between the icon Virgin of Guadalupe and the Mexican people. Throughout her history as an image, she has often been used as a tool for political iconography. The paper investigates the methods the Virgin is used to convey these political messages and which groups the Virgin has represented.

Artwork Description:  One result of their thesis paper was an art show dedicated to a similar topic. It asked the question: What is the impact of Catholic colonization in Central America? The piece Nuestra Señora de Nuestros Corazones, 2026 experiments with the modern images found in Central American Catholism: the Sacred Heart and the Virgin of Guadalupe. The medium of the work acknowledges the European influences in Central American Catholism, as mosaic religious art was prominent in past European Christian artwork.

Read Roselyn’s SCE below: