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Why you Should visit the Petersen Automotive Museum – THE HIGH ART OF RIDING LOW

Published on July 14, 2017

This sort of compliments my article, “The Car and Truck Scene Today – How We See It” and this display gives us the excuse to visit the Petersen in Los Angeles, CA. The Petersen Automotive Museum – THE HIGH ART OF RIDING LOW has a display, from July 1, 2017 to July 2018, of over 50 artists with Lowrider cars and Lowrider inspired art pieces throughout the exhibit.

The Lowrider history began in Los Angeles California in the mid-to-late 1940s and during the post-war prosperity of the 1950s. Initially, some Mexican-American barrio youths lowered blocks, cut spring coils, z’ed the frames and dropped spindles. The aim of the lowriders is to cruise as slowly as possible, “Low and Slow” being their motto. By redesigning these cars in ways that go against their intended purposes and in painting their cars so that they reflect and hold meanings from Mexican culture, lowriders create cultural and political statements that go against the more prevalent Anglo culture. The design of the cars encouraged a “bi-focal perspective-they are made to be watched but only after adjustments have been made to provide ironic and playful commentary on prevailing standard of automobile design.”

The High Art of Riding Low: Ranflas, Corazón e Inspiración examines the diversity and complexity with which 50 artists visualize, celebrate, and interrogate the lowrider car through vehicles, paintings, sculptures, and site-specific installations. The lowrider car (ranfla) inspires many artists, but it is especially celebrated by Chicana/o artists throughout the Southwest. Symbols of cultural pride (corazón), and icons of everyday life experiences, lowriders also embody the formation of multicultural communities through a passion for a specific form of car customization. As “canvases of self-expression,” lowriders serve as the basis of artistic creativity (inspiración), inspiring generations of artists to engage with their iconography, performativity, and aesthetics.

Petersen Automotive Museum – THE HIGH ART OF RIDING LOW Display

1939 Chevrolet Master Deluxe, Gangster Squad ’39, Collection of Mister Cartoon
Tribute to Magu, 2012, Jaime GERMS Zacarias, Collection of Paul Dunlap
1968 Chevrolet Impala, El Muertorider, 2006, Artemio Rodriguez and John Jota Leaños, From the Richard Harris Art Collection
Mister Cartoon’s Ice Cream Truck, Armando Flores, Courtesy of the artist
1950 Chevrolet Sedan, Our Family Car, 1984, Gilbert “Magu” Luján, Collection of Paul Dunlap
Chevy Lowrider, 1985, Frank Romero, Collection of Sharon and Frank Romero
Fire and Desire, 2017, Mister Cartoon, Courtesy of the artist
1963 Chevrolet Impala, El Rey, 2011, Albert de Alba, Sr., Collection of Albert De Alba, Sr. (Elite Car Club)
Chevrolet Apache, 2017, Douglas Miles, Courtesy of the artist
Santa Cruz, 2006, Luis Tapia, Collection of Curt, Christina, and Jonah Nonomaque
Toxic Cruiser, 2015, El Moisés, Courtesy of the artist
Low-tería, 2017, O.G. Abel, Courtesy of the artist

To check out more information about the Petersen Museum and to visit, check out their website, here.