[Photo is the cover of the October 2011 issue of Artforum Magazine]
Having lived in SoCal for several years now, I have gained a respect for UCLA professor Chon Noriega. Along with his minions, he has done an incredible job of promoting Southern California Chicano artists. Here are a few examples:
1) Helped gain exhibitions at major galleries including LACMA, the Autry, UCLA and the Getty (at the biggies not just the small barrio galleries)
2) Coordinated or created compelling articles and books on local artists (quite a few... not just a couple)
3) Promoted artists in important publications like the SF Chronicle, LA Times, Artforum, NY Times, etc. (he is a promoter)
4) Held panels and events that highlighted Chicano artists (rarely a Northern California Chicano or Chicana in sight)
5) Apparently, promoted the work of Chicano artists to international galleries and publications (Mexico, Europe, Asia... nice)
Chon's Los Angeles artistic and academic collaboration is groundbreaking. In San Jose, San Francisco, Berkeley, Austin, etc., Chicanos are typically relegated to smaller galleries even though their work is just as good if not better than their peers in Southern California. These communities don't have a hard-working academic like Chon making waves and news.
Typically scholars are sequestered in their ivory tower writing books and participating on the occasional panel. These tired academics are the norm, but Chon has broken out of this paradigm. This is great for LA artists and definitely bad news for other communities who lack an articulate and passionate person who is promoting Chicano and Chicana art "con ganas". Makes me wish I was born in Los Angeles... almost.
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1 comment:
Jesus, thank you for the very kind words! They are very appreciated. Whatever I have been able to do would have been impossible without many like-minded partners along the way. Including one from northern California: Tere Romo. And several who hail from Texas: Rita Gonzalez and Pilar Tompkins Rivas. And the many students who also want to help make a difference! More importantly, our success with regard to mainstream venues in L.A. and elsewhere could not have happened without ongoing partnerships with community-based art spaces and artists. Needless to say, our work is not done.
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