Friday, July 07, 2023

L.A.: Once Upon A Multicultural Arts Haven

Los Angeles in the 1980's and 90's was a time of multi cultural, multi district, multi sexual orientation creation and collaboration. Art, music, dance, fashion, performance art, theater, graffiti art, murals, indy filmmaking, print media all leaving their mark on the map of this vast LA-LA landscape. These were the pre FundMe days when if you had a project in mind you either applied for an arts grant, found a benefactor or you held fundraisers. A lot of time and effort was donated by artists themselves. There were plenty of arts supporters who gave their time and money as well. Why? Because local arts kept our city authentic and alive with a true sense of how our cultural and ethnic differences were alike in so many ways. That's not to say there weren't outlying areas that didn't wish to participate in the grand scheme of a melting pot theory. They were there in the comfort zones hiding behind curtains and valleys which was just fine for us without a monocultural mindset. Over the decades there was a shift in the City of Angels' terrain. The roads leading us to and from one community to another had been engulfed by the internet super highway. Fiber optical delusion of grandure nomads soaking up local color snapped selfies for the world wide web to see. The wagon trails of the old west had been dusted off by politicians for the new breed of gentrifying Trust-Fund baby settlers. Communties with histories rich with culture and contribution to creating a multiethnic metropolis were soon whitewashed to the point of ironic insignificance. All this took place in plain sight but we were all too busy checking social mierda to see what was taking place and who was taking our place. L.A. city budget cuts to arts programs were overshadowed by corporate sponsorships to artists whose individuality was molded to meet the standards of the brand they were marketing, not the community they represented. The sleight of hand generational land grabbing house flippers and developers performed character assassinations to structures transforming an historic L.A. landscape to the likes of a nursery school building blocks skyline. None of what has transpired over the past four decades was by accident. The removal of arts programs in public schools and public funding was intended to break down the unity between communities and culture. Creative thinking opens minds. It allows us to color outside the lines. It gives us the ability to break free from conformity. It fosters independent thinking. It offers opportunity to share our stories in our words/images/style without being caricatured into stereotypes to fit the American narrative. The divisive domain gatekeeper mentality displayed on the streets of Los Angeles today is a sad end result of how the arts have been capitalized to the point of nationalized self-interest and alienization of those who do not comply with conservative constructs.
Los Angeles Festival ran from September 1 - 16, 1990 a total of 70 venues across Los Angeles hosted multicultural ticketed theater/performance, dance, music, literature, film and video, and visual arts events. A series of Around Town free events were hosted at Angel's Gate and Point Fermin Park, Pan-Indian Pow Wow, African Marketplace, Olvera Street and Union Station, Moon Festival, Pacific Asia Museum, Griffith Park, Mariachi Festival, Jack's Placita, Plaza de la Raza, Wat Thai, Cal Plaza, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Santa Monica Pier, El Grito, Descanso Gardens, The Open Festival and KCET Programs.

Monday, June 26, 2023

Aztec Gods Glyph Series by Linda Gamboa

As September 2016 rolled around I found myself breaking free from many longtime friendships and family ties all because of my involvement with the political revolution. Going against the norm has always been a way of life for me so to find those I thought knew me were disappointed I wasn't falling in line with the status quo was surprising, though not shocking. The experience forced me to see how my energy had been focused on making change for the masses while neglecting my own personal growth. It had occurred to me how cultural assimilation in America has taken a toll on many in my community and social circle casting them further off course from OG Chicanismo. Instead of wallowing in anger and self-pity I began taking a deeper look into my own detachment from ancestral roots by being born into this cultural indoctrination nation. It dawned on me how throughout my years of public education (K-12) I never once learned of Aztec or Mayan gods yet was taught of Greek and Roman mythology. Something needed to be done so I turned to creating a series of Aztec glyphs made of felt, vintage and contemporary buttons, beads and notions. I had originally planned on making a set of 20 but life took a series of unnexpected twists and chingaderas in March of 2017 so I had to put the project on hold. I was only able to complete one additional piece during the recent pandemic bringing me closer to completing the series.
Miquiztli (death)
Ozomahtli (monkey)
Cipactli (caiman or aquatic monster)
Itzcuintli (dog)
Ocelotl (ocelot or jaguar)
Ehecatl (wind)
Cuauhtli (eagle)
Tochtli (rabbit)
Coatl (snake)
Cozcacuauhtli (vulture)
Cuetzpalin (lizard)
Mazatl (deer)
Rustic Chicana: A take on the rustic chic culture. Always having to make use of whatever was available has given me the ability to make something out of nothing.
Rustic Chicana was born of the 2020 Covid pandemic. A time when days became months. A time when finances and resources were limited like never before. A time when boxes and grocery delivery packaging materials were plentiful. Much of my Rustic Chicana work was created by utilizing scrap cardboard and paper bags.
Muchachas Bailen En Vikinis and Stray Gato are part of a limited series of cardboard panels dedicated to OG storefront signage of 1960's/70's Boyle Heights and East LA.
Rustic Chicana Dia de los Muertos headdresses.
Catrina Dia de los Muertos hats.
Walltares (Wall Altares)
Steampunk Calaca Masks
I didn't let the pandemic put a damper on my participation in Dia de los Muertos festivities in 2021. I painted my calaca face and loaded down my vendadora cart with my handcrafted goods then headed over to Self Help Graphics. It was part protest over the outrageous costs for vendor spots and part homage to the many street vendors who succumbed to Covid.
It was great to see familiar faces out and about during a time when we were encouraged to avoid human contact. East LA artist Rosanna Esparza Ahrens and her mother, Chicana altarista and 2018 NEA National Heritage Fellowship honor, Ofelia Esparza pose while wearing Rustic Chicana headdress and Catrina hat. Always a pleasure running into my amigas.

Monday, June 19, 2023

Artist Archives 1990's-2009

In going through my files and archives I realized not many of the announcements for art exhibitions and sales I participated in over the years survived. The first group exhibition was for Dia de los Muertos at Galeria Olvera in 1990. The last was Ofrendas 2009: Calavera Fashion Show and Walking Altars at Tropico de Nopal.