The City of Phoenix kicked off Viva Phoenix at the Palomar Hotel in down town Phoenix, Arizona, last week. El Moises -- the Chicano Picasso currently owns and operates a gallery in Taos, New Mexico, but went back to his stomping ground in Arizona to help celebrate the kick off. Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton participated in the kick off and was sure to draw attention to the Chicano / Latino participating artists. The role of The Arts in politics is a force to be reckoned with, and in this case, the artist contributes his talents for Phoenix to live on despite the increase of graffiti art that is on the rise on 16th Street and in Phoenix area barrios. Arizonans want fine art -- or art that a person would appreciate hanging in their own homes, and we welcome artists who will paint more than what one would normally see on a railroad train car. Live Taos presented El Moises earlier this month and recently wrote: Taos Artist El Moisés has been a busy man of late. In addition to a recent spread in Low Rider magazine, the Mexican-born, Phoenix-raised Moisés Salcedo has been one of the curators for the upcoming Órale! show at the Harwood Museum, has been commissioned to paint a large mural back in Phoenix, and, perhaps most importantly, has been accepted into a group show in LA commemorating Gilbert “Magu” Lujan, one of Los Four, the Los Angeles-based Chicano collective that exploded on the West Coast art scene with a culturally-awakening show at LACMA in 1974. El Moisés’ recently finished painting of Lujan is a potent symbol of contemporary Chicano imagery, as well as a heartfelt tribute to a dear friend. In his own inimitable way, Salcedo’s incorporated several styles into a vibrant palette that pay homage not only to Lujan, but serve as a sort of codex to the relationship between “Magu,” and the young Salcedo, who has fond memories and great warmth for his former friend and teacher. Salcedo’s mastery of the brush continues to flourish in Taos, and the impressive body of work produced in about the year he’s been in town is to be marveled at. In addition to the Magu homage, there’s a stunning portrait of Rudy “Corky” Gonzales (Denver-based founder of the Brown Berets, a 70’s Chicano organization), as well as his anthropomorphized “gangster canine” series that find one marveling at the uncanny resemblance between dogs and their owners, and the “dog” inside some. FULL STORY HERE>>> Moises will be conducting the art work that will contribute to a national campaign Somos Independents has been working on via Cruising To The Polls. A campaign that will encourage Chicanos and Latinos who own lowriders to remember election day motivating millions to get out an vote in 2014 lest anti-immigrant politicians gain power.
Posted on: Mon, 15 Sep 2014 22:00:45 +0000
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