Fullerton College is proud to present Rasquachismo, a multi-media exhibition exploring the transmutative and defiant power of the lowrider. From painting, sculpture, photography, and installation, the show seeks to celebrate the lowrider’s demand for attention, reclamation of space and time, and resistance to social norms and oppressive influences. Adapted from Rasquachismo, curated by Laura Black, the exhibition celebrates how lowriding has developed past the beauty of the car itself, to a deeper representation of the Chicanx community.
Lowriding lives in the essence of resistance and cultivates the power of the streets. It serves as a performance: the artist who creates and modifies the car, the riding as the performance, and the community as its spectator. Is a lowrider an object of decolonization simply in its existence and action? The car serves a clear purpose: to protest, resist, be seen, and to do it in style. In its essence, the lowrider is a manifestation of what brown and black communities have done for centuries in this country: taken an object, appropriated it with new meaning and purpose, and used it as an act of representation, pride, and spiritual transformation.
Rasquachismo seeks to explore the themes of space and time, disruption, spirituality, identity, and adornment through contemporary art. Similarly to the conduit quality of the low rider, the exhibition highlights the spiritual nature of community and lineage, and how representation of culture serves as its own form of power. The literal translation of Rasquache means “leftover”, but the true meaning of the word lives in its ability to transcend something found and make it more powerful than before.
Highway Hypnosis explores the cultural lineage of 3B Collective, a group of native (and immigrant) Angeleno multidisciplinary artists. Presented at Craft Contemporary, the exhibition delves into past and present connections within the collective’s work, such as challenging preconceived notions of craft, the commodification of cultural goods, hyper-individualism, and hidden labor. All of these while honoring indigeneity and also shedding light on migration histories. The exhibition is a testament to collective effort, revealing the masterful hidden labor of artists and artisans who contribute to each work.
3B engages in collaborative works with skilled artisans from regions integral to their familial roots, such as Oaxaca, Jalisco, El Salvador, and Baja California. This ongoing collaboration forms a contemporary manifestation of ancestral cultural networks within an urban context and sensibility in present-day America.
The exhibition features murals, assemblages, textiles, ceramics, mask installations, and other media that serve as vital expressions of a culture forced to migrate and adapt due to socio-political and financial pressures. The artworks embody a resilient cultural heritage that thrives and evolves across borders in a capitalist system that unintentionally makes them collaborators in their own exploitation.
Viewers are encouraged to celebrate and question craftsmanship in relation to ancestral knowledge in this dawning age of artifice.
A journey through life, love and death, Arte Activista: Día de los Muertos 2023 (Activist Art: Day of the Dead 2023) features contemporary altars and artworkby artists representing the 3B Collective, a Los Angeles-based group of Indigenous, African American and Chicano artists and designers.
Opening at the Museum’s Día de los Muertos Fiesta 2023 on Fri., Oct. 13, the annual exhibit explores the Mexican cultural tradition of honoring deceased loved ones each year on November 1 and 2 by creating calaveras de azúcar (sugar skulls), altares de muertos (altars of the dead) and ofrendas (offerings), which has evolved from the Aztecs to modern day Mexico and California. This year’s exhibit features the work of artists Aaron Douglas Estrada, Fredo Diaz, Oscar Magallanes, Alexa Ramirez, Jackie Castillo and Susan Aparicio, whose altars are dedicated to Chicano artist and magazine founder David Holland (“Teen Angel”), radio DJ Art Laboe, lowrider artist Jesse Valadez, singer Jenni Rivera and artist Laura Aguilar.
Members of the public are also invited to honor friends and family members who have passed with a remembrance in the exhibit’s accompanying Community Altar. Optional templates can be downloaded ahead of time or created on site using materials at the Museum’s craft station. Photocopies of photos are encouraged; any items left on the altar will not be returned.
LA PLAZA: A CENTER OF INJUSTICE AND TRANSFORMATION IN LOS ANGELES
La Plaza: A Center of Injustice and Transformation in Los Angeles March 3–July 16, 2023
In celebration of the tenth anniversary of the Museum of Social Justice’s inaugural exhibition, Angels on the Plaza, this survey exhibition explores La Plaza de Los Ángeles, the birthplace of the city, as a center of injustice and transformation. From its beginning, La Plaza has been a hub of diversity, strife, and social and political change. It has been a place of contradiction. It has been a place where American Indians; African, Mexican, and Spanish settlers; Chinese and Italian immigrants; and Anglo-Americans lived and worked among one another.
This diversity often led to discord and unity at La Plaza. It was a place of injustices where racism led to the deportation of Mexican residents, the massacre of Chinese residents, auctions of American Indians, and heavy police surveillance of marginalized people and activists. Yet, it was also a place of transformation, where the city’s free speech area and first integrated drinking fountain were located. Immigrants could access extensive social services through La Plaza United Methodist Church and La Plaza Community Center. Worker unions formed here; civil and labor rights campaigns were fought here; and both exiled and native revolutionaries sought social and political change through art, writing, and demonstrations here. Throughout its history, La Plaza has been a place of protest, a place to fight against the city’s inequalities and seek justice for all its residents. Two centuries later, this legacy continues, as Angelenos fight for change among La Plaza’s historical sites and outside the shops and restaurants of Olvera Street, accompanied by the music and dance of the city’s residents.
This project was made possible through the support of and with contributions by the Museum of Social Justice, LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes, El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument, and the Italian American Museum of Los Angeles.
The Collective Memory Installation is a digital exhibition of artworks reflecting on the collective history of Los Angeles County, presented by the Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture in partnership with Grand Park powered by The Music Center. The installation features artworks by one hundred Los Angeles artists across a wide array of artistic mediums to share diverse community experiences and perspectives, highlight underrepresented histories, and celebrate the dynamic culture of our region.
The Collective Memory Installation will be on view at Grand Park, overlooking the fountain, Saturday, February 25 through Saturday, March 18. The artworks are presented by theme weekly, curated by cultural organizer Anuradha Vikram. Everyone is welcome to attend and observe this digital exhibition.
FEBRUARY 25 – MARCH 3, 2023
Los Angeles County is home to many distinct yet interwoven cities. Artists celebrate, share their affections, and visualize historical moments of their home neighborhoods within Los Angeles County, from Reseda to Bell to Long Beach.
FEATURED ARTISTS
AQMNI, Christopher Baliwas, Marissa Brown, Diego Cardoso, Tofer Chin, Manny Cosentino, Heidi Duckler Dance, Robbert Flick, Luis-Genaro Garcia, Andreina Giron, Mark Holley, Marlené Nancy López, Oscar Magallanes, Álvaro D. Marquez, Alejandra Martinez, David Martinez, Rebeca Méndez, Walter Morataya Ramirez, Jim Newberry, Mike Norice, Avital Oehler, Okey Ofomata, Aydinaneth Ortiz, Mikki Paek, Pau S. Pescador, Felicia Ramirez, Vilma Ronzón, Hedy Viviana Torres Cardenas , Omar Ureta / John Urquiza, Patssi Valdez, Christopher Velasc
MARCH 4 – MARCH 10, 2023
Everyone in Los Angeles County is from somewhere. Many people are from right here, going back generations on this land. Many are from somewhere else, and they bring their cultures, traditions, and memories with them. Artists pay homage to the sense of place that grounds us.
FEATURED ARTISTS
Jorge Alvarado, Deborah Aschheim, Cindy Bonaparte, Natalie Bui, Arlene Campa, Lilliana Castro, Audrey Chan, Jason Chu, Common Threads Artists, Jose Felix Cruz, Ken Gonzales-Day, Danielle Therese Del Rosario, Stephanie Han, David Hernández, Phung Huynh, Louis Jacinto, Buena Johnson, Álvaro D. Marquez, Alejandra Martinez, David Martinez , Rebeca Méndez, Stephanie Mercado, Mike Norice, Nery Orellana, Pau S. Pescador, Neil Rivas, Adee Roberson, Shizu Saldamando, Aisha Singleton, Alyse Stone, Hedy Viviana Torres Cardenas, Cathy Weis
MARCH 4 – MARCH 10, 2023
Los Angeles County is home to varied geographies and Indigenous practices that put land and animals on more equal footing with humans. Artists envision living in balance with the planet and the traditional knowledge that surrounds us.
FEATURED ARTISTS
Alma Abigail Aguas Aceves, Alyson Aliano, Natalie Bui, Lilliana Castro, Rick Castro, Sijia Chen, Beihua Guo, Stephanie Han, Peter Hess, Daniel Ingroff, Buena Johnson, Liza Macawili Ramos, Barry Markowitz, Rebeca Méndez, Avital Oehler, Nery Orellana, Laura Vazquez Rodriguez, Shizu Saldamando, Eliseo Art Silva, Aisha Singleton, Jane Szabo, Allen Tombello, Sichong Xie , Sey Yan
MARCH 11 – MARCH 18, 2023
Who are your people? The ones you come from, the ones you choose. Artists celebrate their people, from matriarchs and patriarchs to uncles and cousins, best friends, and chosen or queer family.
FEATURED ARTISTS
Brian Allen, Alyson Aliano , Jorge Alvarado, Mr. Javon’e Armada, Lilliana Castro, Rick Castro, Manny Cosentino , Stephanie Han, Amani Holbert, Mark Holley, Phung Huynh, Bryan Ida, Louis Jacinto, Simonette David Jackson, Stella Kalinina, Carly Lake, Brenda Llamas, Gabriel Lopez , Liza Macawili Ramos, Stephanie Mercado, Walter Morataya Ramirez, Nery Orellana, Anthony Orendorff, Tyler Matthew Oyer, Francisco Palomares , Tingyu Pan, Alkaid Ramirez, Adee Roberson, Synthia Saint James, Eliseo Art Silva, Alyse Stone , Christopher Velasco, Sey Yang, Conan Zhao
MARCH 11 – MARCH 18, 2023
Los Angeles Basin is the unceded territory of the Tongva, Tataviam, Serrano, Kizh, and Chumash and home to generations of ancestors from all over the world. Ofrenda or offerings provide inspiration for the artists who reflect on their ancestors, rites of passage, and sacred spaces, and pay tribute.
FEATURED ARTISTS
Alma Abigail Aguas Aceves, Carmen Argote, Roberto Benavidez, Cindy Bonaparte, Darrel ‘Friidom’ Dunn, Juan Escobedo, George Evans, Sophia Garcia, David Hernández, Bernard Stanley Hoyes, Loyce Kareri, Carly Lake, Matt Lipps, Gabriel Lopez, Aline Mare, Alejandra Martinez, Anthony Orendorff, Francisco Palomares, Alkaid Ramirez, Adee Roberson , Laura Vazquez Rodriguez, Aisha Singleton, Francisco Ramon Tejeda, Patssi Valdez, Sey Yang, Cathy Weis
There will be two of my works on display as part of the inaugural exhibition at the new Cheech Center for Chicano Art.
The Cheech Center opens June 18! Come celebrate with us as we open the doors of the long-awaited center for Chicano art and culture.
The Opening Day Art Festival will take place along Mission Inn Avenue in front of The Cheech and the Riverside Art Museum from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. With art vendors, food, and live music, plus a full day of entertainment headlined by Pachuco Jose Y Los Diamantes at 5:30 p.m. this will be an event for the whole family to enjoy! Opening day is presented by US Bank. For more info click here.
The Art Festival is free and open to the public. See you there!
Admission into The Cheech on opening day is sold out and limited to ticketholders only. To purchase advanced tickets to The Cheech this summer, visit riversideartmuseum.org/get-tickets.
Getty 25 Community Art Exhibition: Celebrate Lincoln Heights/East L.A.
May 7-May 29, 2022
Lincoln Park
Plaza de la Raza is proud to present an exhibition of Chicanx/Latinx artists who live or work in East/Northeast LA. These contemporary artists create stories that speak to their internal vision, the built environment, or the people who inhabit their world.
Please stop by and join us in celebrating the art of our Contemporary East/Northeast LA Artists.
Reception: Thursday, May 26, 2022 from 6-9 pm. Refreshments will be served.
Hours: 11-6:00 pm. Closed Sunday and Monday* *The Boathouse Gallery will also be open to the public during the entire weekend of the Getty 25 Community Arts Festival at Plaza de la Raza on May 21 & 22nd, 11 am-6 pm
This exhibition is made possible by the Getty Foundation with a grant to Plaza de la Raza in support of the Getty’s 25th Anniversary Celebration
Location Lincoln Park 3540 N. Mission Rd. Los Angeles, CA 90031
A panel of nationally recognized curators, local arts professionals and community members from the Purple Line Extension Section 2 and 3 project areas has selected artists to create site-specific, integrated artworks for the future Wilshire/Rodeo, Century City/Constellation, Westwood/UCLA and Westwood/VA Hospital stations.
The diverse range of accomplished artists includes:
Eddie Rodolfo Aparicio (Century City/Constellation Station)
Moses X. Ball (Westwood/UCLA Station)
Sandow Birk (Westwood/VA Hospital Station)
Sarah Cain (Century City/Constellation Station)
Victoria Fu + Matt Rich (Westwood/VA Hospital Station)
Karen Hampton (Westwood/UCLA Station)
Phung Huynh (Century City/Constellation Station)
Oscar Magallanes (Century City/Constellation Station)
Yunhee Min (Westwood/UCLA Station)
Meleko Mokgosi (Wilshire/Rodeo Station)
Rigo 23 (Wilshire/Rodeo Station)
Gala Porras-Kim (Westwood/UCLA Station)
Analia Saban (Century City/Constellation Station)
Francesco Simeti (Westwood/VA Hospital Station)
Eloy Torrez (Westwood/VA Hospital Station)
Devon Tsuno (Wilshire/Rodeo Station)
Iris Yirei Hu (Westwood/UCLA Station)
As part of a competitive process, the artist selection panel carefully considered each artist’s professional qualifications and examples of past work. Panelists included: Arthur Lewis, Creative Director, United Talent Agency Artist Space; Anna Sew Hoy, Chair, UCLA School of the Arts and Architecture, Department of Art; Cate Thurston, Associate Curator, The Skirball Cultural Center; Connie Butler, Chief Curator, The Hammer Museum at UCLA; Jean Tardy-Vallernaud, Founding Chair, Century City Arts Council; Ken Gonzales-Day, artist; LeRonn P. Brooks, Associate Curator, The Getty Research Institute; Michael Amescua, artist; Stephanie Vahn, Chair, Beverly Hills Arts and Culture Commission; and Thao Nguyen, Art and Design Agent, Creative Artists Agency.
“Growing up in Los Angeles, certain images are seared into my memory – streets lined with white flags during the 1984 Summer Olympics, the space-age, rainbow tile mosaics at LAX’s terminals, and the portrait murals of LA Philharmonic members that preside over the Harbor Freeway. I believe that the art selected for Metro’s Purple (D Line) Extension project will have a similar effect on our community, offering resonant imagery that we will absorb and ponder as part of our daily lives,” said Anna Sew Hoy.
“I came to see each artwork concept as a portal and a presence that will greet us, invite reflection, and enliven our day as we move across distances both great and small. Informed by both the past and the present, these artworks will create something new and vibrant and will shape the city of the future, which will be made richer by acknowledging our history, and be transformed by an imaginary of place and time and artworks that will surely stand the test of time,” said Ken Gonzales-Day.
“This project is so important and vital in preserving the ideas of our time and democratizes access to art. The selected artists and their work mirrors the diversity and vibrancy of our culture and communities and celebrates LA as a truly world-class creative capital,” said Thao Nguyen.
“The panelists’ thoughtful consideration, community insights and enthusiasm were invaluable in the selection of this phenomenal group of seventeen artists,” said Maya Emsden, Executive Officer (Interim), Metro Art Program . ”We are excited by how this range of artists encompasses many generations and cultures, and how that will be reflected in the work they create for our riders.”
The artists join nine artists selected earlier for the future Wilshire/La Brea, Wilshire/Fairfax and Wilshire/La Cienega stations: Eamon Ore-Giron, Fran Siegel, Mark Dean Veca, Karl Haendel, Ken Gonzalez-Day, Susan Silton, Todd Gray, Mariana Castillo Deball, and Soo Kim.
Stay tuned for future meet-the-artist events and activities hosted for the public at cultural destinations in the Purple (D Line) Extension project area. Click here to receive information about upcoming Metro arts and cultural programs.
Click here for more information about Metro’s art program, including our popular docent-led art tours and cultural programming. You can also follow Metro Art on Facebook and Instagram.
