Manifestations of Chicano Art

Chicano/Chicana Art Questions

In what way does Chicano/a Art relate to contemporary awareness regarding social, political, and aesthetic issues?

Art is often used as a vehicle to raise or sustain awareness when it comes to social, political and other issues. For example, there are many in the Chicano community that vehemently oppose deportation of undocumented workers as it would separate families and/or relegate the deported people to a life of squalor and destitution due to the poverty or persecution that they would face back home. At the same time, Chicanos are very proud of their homeland and heritage and that is often infused very deeply into whatever messages are extended. Whether it be images about family, laws (good or bad), national pride, the American dream or other things, the art created and offered by Chicanos can be emblematic of some of all of that, depending on the situation (Butler) (Butler).

A good example would be the recent movement against Donald Trump. While Mexico and Chicanos have been a major epicenter and focal point of this art, even people that are American citizens, including those from Puerto Rico, are getting into the fray. Regardless, Chicanos see Trump and his brethren as racists and anti-immigrant and they are using images, pictures and their voices to voice their displeasure about the chance of a Trump presidency. For sure, there are other issues and questions that are in the sphere of art and discussion. However, the specter Trump and how immigration will be handled is almost always the top issue (Butler) (Butler).

In what way does Chicano/a Art relate to the language of cinema, television, and new video media?

When it comes to cinema and television, let alone other forms of media, Chicanos are very eager to have their concerns, culture and so forth shown on the big and little screens. Obviously, this can be a struggle for minorities like blacks and Latinos given the relatively small portion of the population that they make up. Art of many forms have related to the struggles and realities that Chicanos face when it comes to creating and maintaining a presence in the media. Some art is addressed at getting noticed on the biggest stages like wide-release movies and network television. Others are related to tailored networks like Univision and so forth. Regardless, Chicanos want to assert their pride and presence and the art is a way for them to not fade into the shadows and the background (Butler) (Butler).

While some may be dismissive or even hostile to the efforts of Mexicans/Chicanos when it comes to television shows and movies, there is no doubt that Mexicans (not to mention Latinos in general) make up a rather sizeable portion of the United States population and that portion is only getting bigger. Indeed, Latinos right now are approaching two times the size of black people and there will eventually come a point where the biggest portion of the United States population is not white people. Chicano Art mainly focuses on the fact that cinema and television either ignores that or they resort to stereotypes or even bigoted depictions of what a Mexican (or immigrant from Mexico) is and how they act (Butler) (Butler).

In what way does Chicano/a Art relate to the contemporary urban environment?