By Olga O. Piña
Chicano is an ethnic term that identified and united a population in the early sixties and seventies. The term itself can be a source of pride and preference for some, as well as a term reviled and rebuked by others. However anyone feels about it, no one can dispute its effects on so many areas of our culture, which are evident in the changes the United States went through because of it.

In art, it created a venue by which artists were able to express the frustration and inner turmoil of a tumultuous period in our country's history. These artistic endeavors revealed to the viewer strong political, social, cultural, economic, educational, and artistic platforms.

The Chicano revolution created an artistic renaissance that catapulted many artists' careers into prominence for their courage in expressing opinions that were in opposition to the status quo. The political, cultural, economic, and social protests in the sixties and seventies provided fertile ground for changes that were to come about in the schools, in the streets, in the courts, and in the spirit of the people.

In the late seventies, graphic artists united forces with poets, writers, and political reformists such as César Chavez, Dolores Huerta, Dr. Ricardo Sánchez, Alurista, Abelardo Delgado, Nephtalí de León, Reimundo “Tigre” Pérez, Carmen Tafolla, Marta Cotera, and Dr. Rolando Hinojosa-Smith to effectuate change as they came together at artistic, literary, and theatrical symposiums as well as traveling art exhibits throughout the country. Once this synergy had begun, the unrelenting voices for change garnered a groundswell of financial support from major corporations and foundations. This created an economic breakthrough that opened doors to galleries, cultural art centers, and avant-garde museums that gave rise to the national birth of Chicano Art.

Chicano Art is not just art created by a passive or assimilated Mexican-American. During the 30 years that I have collected this art form, I witnessed Chicano Art interpreting political platforms and forcing the power brokers to take notice of their shortcomings that affected a great portion of this country's citizen

ry. Chicano Art chronicled a time in history when this nation was forced to listen to a very vocal and political constituency who refused the “hat-in-hand” mentality that dominated this land in regard to minorities. Visually, it was an art form created to bring about change in the political, social, economic, cultural, and educational arenas.

In addition, Chicano Art did not disappear from view like the daily morning newspapers. It remained on the walls of museums, galleries, cultural art centers, and traveling exhibits as a constant reminder of all that remained to be done.

The visual, graphic experiences in the art of Amado Peña, Jr., Daniel DeSiga, Ester Hernandez, Santa Barraza, Carmen Lomas Garza, and César Martínez were the inspirational springboards upon which many Hispanics succeeded in educational and political arenas to further the ideals espoused so eloquently in the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights.

In short, Chicano Art was the canvas upon which the evolution of this country's history was recorded as its artistic patriots created their own unique masterpiece. This country, forged and tempered by its inner strife, whose greatness was defined in part by this generation, emerged a nation more attuned to the liberties that were to be extended to all.

A Resurgence
After all the history of struggle and sacrifice, Chicanos, Mexican-Americans, Hispanics, and Latinos have become an integral part of a continuing evolution of this country’s acceptance and nurturing of its people.

The 21 st century ushered in a renewed interest in Chicano Art. Cheech Marín of Cheech and Chong fame has currently launched his Chicano Art collection, “Chicano Visions: American Painters on the Verge,” on a five-year world tour. In an article by Lilia O'Hara of the San Diego Union Tribune, Marín described the works in his collection as “Chicano history seen from different points of view.”

The revival of Chicano Art will give everyone an opportunity to discover an artistic experience that will inform and not inflame, that will inspire and not instigate. This experience will connect us with a time in history when the United States, in trying to eviscerate a cancer, birthed a new nation in freedom and redefined our country's majestic destiny, which continues to be one of its greatest challenges today.

Piña is the owner of El Taller Gallery and Arts Chair of Centro de Cultura y Artes in Austin, Texas.

Photos courtesy of El Taller Gallery, Ester Hernandez, and Daniel DeSiga.