Chicano History Remembered; Chicanx Experience Explored in New Art Exhibits

February 13, 2020 - San Antonio

By Jade Esteban Estrada - Political Columnist, San Antonio Sentinel

Two new art exhibits that explore the complex themes of Chicano identity will open tonight at Centro de Artes at Historic Market Square. 

Presented by the Department of Arts and Culture, the shows cover a broad ideological spectrum, from early Chicano symbolism to the intersectionality-based perspectives of those who identify as queer Latinx. The exhibits also tackle themes of modern love, disinformation, migrant life, immigration and social justice issues while also providing stylistic commentary on the oral and sometimes sparsely written histories of South Texas’ people of color.

Even a brief examination of these provocative exhibitions would proffer a worthwhile history lesson. 

Centro de Artes’ first floor is the current home to XicanX: New Visions, an exhibit that features the work of 34 emerging artists from across the country. Ten months ago, curators Suzy González and Michael Menchaca, the dynamic duo of the art collective, Dos Mestizx, set out to challenge previous and existing ideas of Chicano and Latino identity-based exhibitions.

The second floor gallery houses Los Maestros: Early Explorers of Chicano Identity, an exhibit that highlights the contributions of three artists who were at the forefront of San Antonio’s Chicano arts movement in the 1960s and 1970s.

José Esquivel, 84, is one of the three artists featured in Los Maestros. Esquivel, who continues his work today, explained how Chicano artists of the 1960s found themselves to be the willing interpreters of the social and political movement that was unfolding. The roles of Chicano and artist were inseparably combined. “The movement was so strong,” he said. “The politics. The marches. The energy was in the political realm.”

This exhibit is giving him the chance to look back at his life and career.

“We do have an important history in San Antonio,” he said. “But it’s forgotten.”

Esquivel remembers having to explain to his mother why he identified as a Chicano. In the Latinx era, he said younger people look at the history of the Chicano movement at a distance, but with a sense of curiosity.

"I am a Chicano…and all that means to me is that I supported the Chicano movement,” he said. “Chicano is not a race. It’s not anything other than a symbol that was used for the political movement. I’m not ashamed to say that I’m a Chicano, but I’m a little bit of everything: I’m an American. I’m Mexican. I’m Latino [and] I am Chicano. All those labels have been instilled [in] us over the years. My work represents the reality that we lived as Mexican Americans in the country,” he said as he pointed to one of his paintings, a 2016 piece entitled Las Nubes. “All these themes represent my experience here in America."

The younger artists participating in XicanX were encouraged to “self-identify,” said Menchaca, who is a San Antonio native. “We wanted to make sure we were including a diverse set of artists within the Latinx communities.” He described the art that uses hashtags or has references to social media as “a sign of the times.”

“Art [and] language is always moving...it’s always changing," said González. "That’s just the world we live in. The goal here is inclusivity. It’s kind of a beautiful thing how capable [people] are of shifting and changing and growing.” 

She feels that one of the best takeaways has been the opportunity she’s had to learn from older folks, younger folks and everyone in between. 

“Because once we cut [that open-mindedness] off, we’re stopping the conversation and we’re saying, ‘I’m right and you're wrong’ and that’s not it,” she explained. “It’s about just being open-minded and saying, ‘I know I have a lot to learn from you.’ I’m never done learning.”

Menchaca took the time to show me one of his favorite pieces. It’s a circular design made from stickers found on everyday market fruit. “I think that creating beautiful pictures is so necessary," he said thoughtfully. “Especially for this time that we live in. We need more beauty in the world."

In December, the exhibit traveled to the Clemente Soto Velez Cultural and Education Center in New York. It was a smaller version of what San Antonians will get the opportunity to see this evening.

Both Menchaca and González seem pleased to finally get the chance to present this show to a hometown crowd.

Tonight’s opening reception will take place from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Centro de Artes. The event is free and open to the public. The exhibitions will be on view through June 28, 2020.

Jade Esteban Estrada covers politics for the San Antonio Sentinel. Email him at jade@sasentinel.com.