Riverside Press Enterprise - August 9th 2002

Local News - San Bernardino

Style and Culture

08/09/02

Area Latino artists and their work are profiled in a 2-volume set giving
an in-depth look at the colorful and political Chicano art genre

By MARK MUCKENFUSS
THE PRESS-ENTERPRISE

It began more than 35 years ago as a way to express cultural pride and
gain respect. In many ways, Gilbert "Magu" Lujan is still waiting for that
respect.
One of the first to create and help define Chicano art, Lujan, a Pomona
resident, has been pushing for nearly four decades the form that
incorporates street elements of barrio life, the bold primary colors of
Mexican art and a politically informed attitude.
Later this month, the University of Arizona Bilingual Press will release
"Contemporary Chicano and Chicana Art," a two-volume set in which Lujan
will be prominently featured. Two other area artists, David Rosales and
Jacalyn Lopez Garcia, also have work in the books.
Rosales and Lujan, along with Raphael Garcia, will be featured in a show
at the Arts Council of San Bernardino County's Arts on Fifth gallery that
opens Monday. The show is called "Soy de Aqui: Autos and Icons."
Lujan says he is excited about both events, but since the book will reach a
wider audience, he hopes it may help to more firmly establish Chicano art
in the larger art world.
"The whole essence of the book is
celebrating Chicano art," Lujan says.
"It's going to be an extensive catalog.
That's the largest effort I've seen so
far. It's a big step towards validating
and justifying our efforts."
A dream realized
Gary Keller, a professor of Chicano
studies, is editor and primary author
of the books. He says the project had
been gestating in his mind for the
past 20 years. Four years ago he
decided to act on the dream.
Requests for submissions were sent
out and 2,000 artists responded.
From those, 200 were picked for the
two volumes that total more than 700
pages.
Keller says the scope of the project is unprecedented.
"There's nothing remotely like it," Keller says. "It will completely redefine
the field. Chicano art, and other United States Latino art, has been a
challenge to define and characterize and bring into some focus."
While it has roots in Mexican art, Keller says Chicano art is very different.
"It began primarily as an art that was part of a civil rights movement and
which very much was directed to the Mexican-American communities
around the United States," he says. "It was not museum-based or
gallery-based art. It was primarily in the version of murals and works on
paper such as posters and serigraphs. That work can easily be
transmitted, and is very low in cost."
Over the years, the genre has evolved and expanded.
"Now there's quite a bit of sculpture," Keller says. "There's public
commissions, a lot of easel work, installations and so on. We're bringing all
of this together."
Two additional volumes will follow, Keller says. The first will deal with mural
art and art organizations; the second will be research and criticism. There
will also be a Web site for artists linked to the project which will be added
to periodically.
"We also plan to have traveling exhibitions to different museums," Keller
says.
Major themes
The work in the first two volumes is divided into thematic groupings.
"Our most extensive one," Keller says, "is Dia de los Muertos (Day of the
Dead). The Virgin of Guadalupe is another extensive theme. We have very
traditional virgins of Guadalupe and very nontraditional virgins. There's
one on a basketball court, dunking a shot."
Despite such elements of humor, Keller says Chicano art should not be
taken lightly.
"We want to raise the recognition status of these artists to the world
stage and certainly the national theater," he says. "People like Gilbert
Lujan should be collected in the National Museum of Art."
Lujan's work has been recognized by the Smithsonian Institution, but the
artist says the mainstream is still elusive for Chicano artists.
Recognition can be limited by traditional stereotypes, Lujan says.
"We have some horrible reputations built on some very feeble
assumptions," he says. "It's a myth that we're all Catholics. It's a myth
that we're not hardworking people."
It also disturbs him that low-rider cars -- which he sees as Chicano
sculpture -- are equated with gang activity.
"These stereotypes come from those pilgrims that came over here and
were afraid to be surrounded by the Indians," he says. "Being a Chicano
means you have a political, cultural and spiritual understanding of your
heritage."
That definition might mean a lot of different things. And even all Chicano
artists might not agree on the definition.
A range of diversity
San Bernardino artist Rosales says Chicano artists are a diverse group
with wide-ranging ideas, even when it comes to defining who they are.
The upcoming book, he says, "is the first time people will be able to look at
these artists and see how diverse the work is."
Just looking at the work of the three area artists provides such an
example. Lujan works in car sculptures and paintings. Rosales paints and
creates installation art. Lopez Garcia works in photographs, digital images
and hand-painted photos.
"My work really is intended to address issues about being Chicano and
Chicana and living in the suburbs," says Lopez Garcia, who teaches at UC
Riverside and Riverside Community College. "I think that's something
that's been overlooked, and this book will expose that experience,
hopefully."
She's also pleased that technology-based work is being included.
"For me, it's exciting because I use nontraditional tools to create my
artwork," she says, "and that this book will include that kind of work will
be very important to the visibility of contemporary Chicana/o artists."
More information on the new volumes is available online at
http://www.asu.edu/brp/promo/artbook.html or by calling (480) 965-3867.
Reach Mark Muckenfuss at (909) 890-4463 or mmuckenfuss@pe.com
Chicano Art Exhibit
What: Artists David Rosales, Gilbert "Magu" Lujan and Raphael Garcia
featured in "Soy de Aqui: Autos and Icons"
Where: Arts Council of San Bernardino County's Arts on Fifth gallery.
When: Monday through Sept. 30