All the way from East Los Angeles, Chicano art is now on display in the Burling Gallery. The Stamp of Self-Help Graphics, a collection of 50 graphic prints, aims to expand the viewer's awareness of Chicano culture.
Chris Gaunt, Library Assistant, walked into the gallery as Graciela Guzman '11 set the works up on the walls. "Wow," Gaunt said, "this is bound to be one of the best exhibitions ever--and we've had some amazing ones down here."
The works presented in this exhibition were culled from the first 47 ateliers of Self-Help Graphics and Art Inc., a community arts center in East L.A. dedicated to the creation of art that reflects the cultural spirit of the Chicano community. The artists and issues these works represent vary from print to print.
Due to weather, the exhibition arrived a few days late, but Kay Wilson, Curator of the Grinnell College art collection, will try to extend the exhibition.
"I love it," Wilson said. "It is exactly what the bitter cold of Iowa needs. The color is so explosive, but on a closer look there is an underlying message that is often darker, a provocative message."
Dani Zamora '08 will give a talk on March 6 at 4:15 p.m. about the influence of Chicano imagery on his work. He suggested the idea for a Chicano art exhibit to Wilson.
"It is important to expose [Grinnellians] to all kinds of art," Zamora said, "especially to learn about this underrepresented culture that is being depicted by artists that even people from L.A. have not been exposed to."
As an art major and a self-identified Chicano, Zamora appreciates "art of the oppressed" and sees a wonder to this art that "is not just found in museums." He believes that the artist matters in order to understand where his or her art comes from, why it was created and what the social-cultural contexts of such art are.
To make a personal connection to Chicano art, Zamora said, one must "come from within." Not everyone can grasp or relate to Lawrence Colacion's Veterano, which displays its subject in the grace of the Virgin of Guadalupe, unless they know about the culture it pervades. Zamora has noticed that his own artwork shares much of this Chicano imagery, such as his use of skulls and Catholic symbolism.
Chicano art, usually charged with political and religious associations, speaks about the struggle that minorities continue to face to this day.
For example, the serigraph by Isabel Martinez titled "V. G. got her green card" uses both political and religious images to deliver a poignant, satirical and even humorous stance on immigration.
But it would be a mistake to assume that the exhibit has a limited appeal. Everyone can appreciate the show's themes and aesthetic.
"They hit you with color," said Guzman, as she finished covering the walls of Burling basement that a few days ago seemed obscurely empty in contrast.
