Chicano Art Exhibit @ Albuquerque’s National Hispanic Cultural Center.

Presented by Target Stores and sponsored by Hewlett-Packard, Chicano, an unprecedented art exhibit, will open to the public at the National Hispanic Cultural Center in Albuquerque, N.M., on February 1, 2003. Chicano is a five-year, 15 city national tour that is collectively made up of Chicano Visions: American Painters on the Verge, a traditional art exhibit, and Chicano Now: American Expressions, an interactive multimedia exhibit for families. Chicano first opened in November 2001 at the San Antonio Museum of Art and The Alameda. Chicano is currently on view at the Smithsonian Institute Arts & Industries Building in Washington, DC through January 5, 2003.

Chicano will remain on exhibit at the National Hispanic Cultural Center through May 18, 2003. According to Dr. Helen R. Lucero, director of the art museum at the center, “We are honored to be one of the national venues for these two very important exhibitions. Chicano Visions includes many significant works of art by Chicano masters of contemporary painting, a number of which are destined to enter the canon of United States art history, regardless of the artists’ ethnicity. Chicano Now offers a dynamic introduction to the concept of a distinct Chicano identity within our nation’s many diverse cultures.”

Inspired and directed by Cheech Marin’s vision to highlight expressions of Chicano culture, Chicano presents the diverse voices of today’s Chicanos. “We’re bringing our interpretation of the Chicano experience to the American public,” says Marin. “I want all Americans to understand that Chicano culture plays a big part in the patchwork quilt that is Americana. The contributions of Chicanos have been so enormous, but they tend to be overlooked.”

Chicano Visions: American Painters on the Verge showcases a wide variety of Chicano visual art. Curated by Rene Yanez, the exhibition features approximately 50 works by more than 20 artists, including Carlos Almaraz, Frank Romero, Gronk, Patssi Valdez, George Yepes, Rupert Garcia, Leo Limon, Margaret Garcia and Eloy Torres. The works, which present images of urban life and the Chicano experience, date between 1969 and 2001. While the majority of the works are drawn from the personal art collection of Cheech Marin, some are on loan from other collectors and institutions.

Chicano Visions: American Painters on the Verge is viewed simultaneously with Chicano Now: American Expressions, a multi-media exhibit, which offers expressions of Chicano cultural style through the eyes of the nation’s premiere Chicano and Chicana performing and independent film artists. For more information on Chicano visit http://www.chicano-art-life.com .

“Target is pleased to share this national treasure with all of New Mexico,” said Laysha Ward, director of community relations for Target Corporation. “Chicano Visions is an unrivaled exhibit of Chicano art that shines a spotlight on a culture rich in values and tradition, yet a culture too often overlooked.”

“The social, cultural and political impact of Chicano life has been a mainstay in America since the birth of our country, and this wonderful exhibit provides a real up-close look at the lives and contributions of the Chicano people,” said Art Price, manager of Hewlett-Packard’s multicultural marketing program. “Hewlett-Packard is delighted to play a role in helping the public celebrate a slice of American life.”