“Don’t Fence Me In”: Original Works by L.A.-Based “Chicano” Artists

 
Artists: Margaret Garcia, Leo Limon, Gilbert "Magu" Lujan, Jose Lozano, Frank Romero, and Patssi Valdez

 

Seasoned artists of Mexican-American heritage share cultural commonalities, including customs, dour memories of discrimination, participation in the Chicano political movement, and a sense of cultural pride. Most of these artists also endured struggles with the academy, including the prestigious art schools they attended, who misinterpreted their works as folk art as opposed to fine art. These artists and their works are no more exclusively defined by their ethnicity than David Hockney’s works are by his working class Anglo-Saxon roots.

 

Chicanismo and barrio life memories are decidedly a source for the exhibiting artists in some of their works. The artists may integrate symbols of their heritage and Chicana/o identity. For example, Leo Limon frequently references Mexican deities and Gilbert “Magu” Lujan employs indigenous glyphs as expressions of his heritage. Margaret Garcia has created profoundly expressive portraits of Mexican-American celebrities and scenes of the Chicana/o urban landscape. Patssi Valdez his visited her cultural memories to conjure altars, virgins, queens, goddesses, and corazones.  Jose Lozano employs a style reminiscent of the Mexican comic books he devoured in his youth to create non-judgmental portraits of Los Angeles mortals, gravity defying characters, and shameless clowns.

 

The classification of “Chicano artist” can serve to marginalize Mexican-American artists, whose subject matter and influences extend far beyond their cultural identity. For example, Frank Romero has created numerous iconic works associated with the Chicano Movement. Yet, he has a significant body of work devoted to interpreting the Provence paysage and the curious geometry of the Los Angeles freeway system. As the “Alley River Cat Artist,” Leo Limon continues his long lauded mission of painting cheery cat faces on cement walls along the Los Angeles River. Margaret Garcia is all-inclusive in using her arresting palette to create compelling portraits of members of her multicultural community. Patssi Valdez employs stunning color schemes and a sense of high velocity to create works that are fraught with intense passion, magical symbols, many of which suggest altered states and multiple realities. One is as likely to encounter Buddhist as Christian icons in her work.  Gilbert “Magu” Lujan has developed his private world of Magulandia, wherein reside such characters as his alter-ego, an affable anthropomorphized dog. He is a strong proponent of multicultural celebration.

 

Viewers of this exhibit are invited to shed cultural filters and expectations at the gallery entrance and to examine works by these artists, all of whom enjoy national and international recognition, afresh.

 

References:

 

Patssi Valdez:
http://www.thechicanocollection.net/artists/pv/
http://americanart.si.edu/education/online_activities/del_corazon/artistas_06.php
http://www.aaa.si.edu/collections/oralhistories/transcripts/valdez99.htm

 

Margaret Garcia:
http://www.thechicanocollection.net/artists/mg/
http://www.networkaztlan.com/artists/mgarcia.html

 

Leo Limon:
http://www.thechicanocollection.net/artists/ll/
http://www.alferov.com/limon.htm

 

Jose Lozano:
http://www.thechicanocollection.net/artists/jl/
http://www.correiagallery.com/newartists/LozanoJose/UntitledFrameset-7.html

 

Gilbert "Magu" Lujan:
http://www.thechicanocollection.net/artists/gml/
http://www.aaa.si.edu/collections/oralhistories/tranSCRIPTs/lujan97.htm

 

Frank Romero:
http://www.thechicanocollection.net/artists/fr/
http://www.aaa.si.edu/collections/oralhistories/tranSCRIPTs/romero97.htm