Chicano Art: Resistance and Affirmation

The CARA exhibit was created through the joint actions of the Wight Art Gallery at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and the CARA National Advisory Committee. These two groups started planning in 1984, but the idea for the exhibit began in 1983, when Cecelia Klein, Shifra Goldman, and several graduate students (Maria de Herrera, Holly Barnet-Sanchez and Marcos Sanchez-Tranquilino) asked the new director of the Wight Art Gallery, Edith Tonelli, about creating a unique Chicano art exhibit. Other topics addressed by CARA, such as a critical stance on American cultural politics and the "myth of the melting pot" also intimidated the NEH. A second try for funds from the NEH took place in 1985 and the term Chicano was carefully explained and outlined. The exhibit opened at Wight Art Gallery on September 9, 1990. As the show toured, there were some unique ways to promote local interest. At the El Paso Museum of Art, there was a lowrider parade that initiated the opening of the show and in addition, there were several works in CARA that contained images of lowriders. The Albuquerque Museum of Art staged a lowrider car show on the opening day of the exhibit. CARA closed after its last engagement, which was at the Museum of Art in San Antonio, Texas. == Reception ==

There were large crowds at the exhibition in every city. CARA challenged many art critics to look beyond what had been considered "mainstream" or "traditional" fine art. The exhibition was successful in bringing new ideas to viewers. It also challenged viewers and critics alike to see value in the intersection of politics and art. Other critics seemed uncomfortable with the art they were viewing. Many viewers and critics expressed the feeling that "at long last Chicanos could see themselves reflected and represented...a process of both aesthetic and political validation." CARA taught many non-Latino Americans about Chicano life, history, ideology and culture. CARA also helped those in the U.S. learn to appreciate the nuanced differences between "Hispanic" and "Chicano." == Legacy ==

CARA challenged the mainstream art world to view Chicano art as an important art movement that stands on equal footing with other well-recognized art movements. though it was often feared that the Chicano art was displayed in an academic way that would "erode" or destroy the true meaning of the art. Nevertheless, the subject matter of CARA stretched the boundaries of what traditionally could or should be shown in a museum setting. CARA was the first exhibition of its type and set a standard for curatorial practices surrounding Chicano art and exhibits. CARA also clearly demonstrated that there was still a critical bias towards men being represented more often than women in museums and in the arts. Not all artists found themselves in the same situation, but for many, doors were opened in mainstream markets, collections, lecture circuits and museums. == Artists and venues ==

Artists Venues • Wight Art Gallery at University of California, Los Angeles • San Francisco Museum of Modern Art • Fresno Art Museum • Tucson Museum of Art • Denver Art Museum • Albuquerque Museum of Art and History • National Museum of American Art, Washington, DC • Bronx Museum of the Arts • El Paso Museum of Art • San Antonio Museum of Art == Quotes ==

"We made valiant efforts to things through--every one of these sessions became a philosophical discussion...In fact, I feel like I've been through an incredible course in Chicanismo."—Judith Baca "I loved this exhibit. It's like looking in a mirror. It's really seeing the heart of my people."—Anonymous == Read More ==