Devotional Candles, Fabuloso, and La Virgen: Visual Theory-Making Through Domesticana and Autohistoria-teoría

In this mixed-genre paper, I bridge the aesthetic sensibilities of rasquachismo, domesticana, and bricozaje and present them as visual manifestations of autohistoria-teor & iacute;a. Using an arts-based methodology of nepantlando, or theorizing through creative acts, I present a diario visual (visual diary) that explores the colors Maya Azul and Rosa Mexicano. The culmination is a conversation of image and text, or a visual pl & aacute;tica. In this visual/text remix, Fabuloso, a popular Mexican cleaner, and the act of household cleaning are elevated to a scared space through a devotional candle. Engaging in visual theorizing through lived experiences, the significance of this study lies in the process of theory-making and multi-faceted ways of knowing. In addition to academic text, I use visual imagery, art practice, and performative text, as a way to theorize.