Beginning in the 1960s, many Mexican American artists supported the Chicano movement for civil rights. They adopted the name of Chicana or Chicano to signify the political and social concern of their work on behalf of their communities. Cara a cara / Face to Face presents a selection of Chicano artists who have chosen portraiture as a form of personal, cultural, or political affirmation. Working in a variety of media, ranging from traditional printmaking to digital photography, these artists deal with issues of social justice as they depict people from all walks of life. Their portraits celebrate the resilience, the perseverance, and the stories of individuals belonging to Mexican American communities across the United States. Our visitors are invited to meet them, face to face, in the galleries.
Cara a cara / Face to Face is the first presentation in the Blanton’s Latino art galleries, which celebrate the Gilberto Cárdenas and Dolores Garcia Collection, one of most important collections of Chicano and Latino art in the world.
Connie Arismendi, “La Morena,” 1990s, mixed media, pencil on fabric attached to canvas, Blanton Museum of Art, The University of Texas at Austin, Gilberto Cárdenas Collection, Museum Acquisition Fund, 2022
Yolanda López, “Who’s the Illegal Alien, Pilgrim?,” 1981, screenprint and rubber stamp on paper, Blanton Museum of Art, The University of Texas at Austin, Gilberto Cárdenas Collection, Museum Acquisition Fund, 2022
Gaspar Enriquez, “María de los Ángeles y los angelitos negros,” 1994, acrylic on board, 48 x 32 in., Blanton Museum of Art, The University of Texas at Austin, Gilberto Cárdenas Collection, Museum Acquisition Fund, 2022
Claudio Dicochea, “De la Corona y el Vaquero Enamorado, el Pachukis [Of the Crown and the Enamored Cowboy, the Pachukis],” 2011, acrylic, graphite, charcoal, and transfer on wood, Blanton Museum of Art, The University of Texas at Austin, Gilberto Cárdenas Collection, Museum Acquisition Fund, 2022
Ester Hernandez, “Sun Mad,” 1982, screenprint, 26 x 20 in., Blanton Museum of Art, The University of Texas at Austin, Gilberto Cárdenas Collection, Museum Acquisition Fund, 2022
César A. Martínez, “Untitled,” 1980s-90s, Blanton Museum of Art, The University of Texas at Austin, Gilberto Cárdenas Collection, Museum Acquisition Fund, 2022
Press
Credit
Cara a cara / Face to Face was curated by Vanessa Davidson, Curator, Latin American Art, Blanton Museum of Art, and Florencia Bazzano, Assistant Curator, Latin American Art, Blanton Museum of Art