Category: Chicano/a/x

Eleazar.

I moved by myself exclusively for many years. I didn’t want to collab with anyone, I wanted to do it all on my own. That’s a young artist’s game, I feel. When you first get into your art more seriously, you think you’re gonna show everybody – there’s never been a producer, rapper, whatever, that can do it like me.

The deeper you get in the game, you start realizing, damn, a lot of my heroes had teams low-key. Even though on the outside, it looks like one guy. But nobody does anything by themselves – everybody has someone that put them up in their first gallery, gave them their 1st break, gave them their first shot at something greater.

POR VIDA CAFÉ.

I hope that we can still be part of this community moving forward, but the future is untold. We don’t know what’s gonna happen when the owner of this building wants to build 4 stories high and put a retail spot under here, probably double or triple our rent. We have a lot to display, but we also have to walk very cordially over the next few years. I predict a big shift coming up. It’s a hard conversation, but I think it’s a conversation that needs to be had now.

DEATHLILI.

Initially, the inadequate representation of people who came from walks of life like mine propelled me into creating art that represents us – we are more than the common misconceptions of lowriding, gang culture, & baggy clothing. We too enjoy a darker side of life and heavy music.

SPUNK ON THE RISE OF NOS USE AT PUNK SHOWS.

B: I don’t wanna support a system that gets a bunch of kids high. All for one, but there’s a bunch of venues getting traction where kids always end up fighting each other and getting loaded. Just a lot of drama. There’s no point in supporting a spot where people don’t even care to see you. I mean, there’s always gonna be some people at the front who actually dig you, but when people chill outside, in the corners, on drugs… Those hotspots? The ones where everyone’s NOS’d out? Go to a function, don’t go to a show.

SWEET DREAMS, DEAD MEMORIES – MI VIDA LOCA by Jessica Edith Cerda.

Initially, this piece was brainstormed the last week of July 2023 and the pencil didn’t hit the paper till July 28 all the way till August 24, a little under a month of very well-used hours to get this pieced and framed, ready in time. I loved creating this piece and the emotions and memories that came with illustrating sweet dreams, dead memories.