Chicano Visions Fort Lauderdale Release

Cheech Marin’s Vision and Personal Chicano Art Collection
Debuts at the Museum of Art | Fort Lauderdale
November 18, 2006 – May 1, 2007
Presented by Target and sponsored by Hewlett-Packard, Chicano Visions
Makes its Way to Fort Lauderdale

MINNEAPOLIS (September 2006) – Chicano Visions: American Painters on the Verge, an unprecedented visual art exhibition presented by Target, sponsored by Hewlett-Packard Company and produced by Evergreen Exhibitions (formerly Clear Channel Exhibitions), will open to the public at the Museum of Art | Fort Lauderdale on November 18, 2006, and will remain on display through May 1, 2007.

Inspired by actor Cheech Marin’s vision to highlight expressions of his native Mexican-American culture, Chicano Visions has traveled to major cities throughout the country on a five-year national tour.  The vibrant art exhibition showcases more than 26 of the country’s leading Chicano artists’ interpretations of visual arts, mostly in oil or acrylic paintings on canvas.

Chicano Visions first opened in November 2001 in San Antonio, Texas and has traveled through various cities in the United States, including Washington, D.C., Albuquerque, N.M., El Paso, Texas, Indianapolis, Ind., San Diego, Calif., Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minn. Chicago, Ill., Houston, Texas, St. Louis, Mo. and most recently San Francisco, Calif.

“The Museum of Art | Fort Lauderdale has actively fostered the arts of our ethnically diverse South Florida community by seriously collecting and exhibiting Latin American and Caribbean Art,” said Irvin Lippman, president and executive director, Museum of Art | Fort Lauderdale.  “With Chicano Visions, we can explore an important facet of Hispanic culture that has long needed to be included in this ‘collective vision.’  Through Chicano eyes we will be able to look, and have special insight, into our contemporary world.”

Chicano Visions not only captures the essence of the Chicano experience, but also allows the public to see the world from a different perspective.  “The art work presents our interpretation of the Mexican-American experience to American audiences in diverse parts of the nation and helps bring the term Chicano to the forefront of the art world,” said Marin.  “When you view the art and understand the many interpretations, whether social or political and even religious, you see a 360-degree view of the Chicano experience.”

Curated by René Yañez, Chicano Visions is without a doubt the most complete exhibition of Chicano art, and includes works by well-known artists such as Ester Hernández, Carmen Lomas Garza, Carlos Almaraz, Frank Romero, Gronk, Patssi Valdez, George Yepes, Rupert García, Leo Limón, Margaret García and Eloy Torrez.  The works, which present images of urban life and the Chicano experience, date between 1969 and 2003.  While the majority of the works are drawn from the personal art collection of Cheech Marin, some are on loan from other collectors and institutions.

“Target values the spirit of Chicano art and is proud to support the work of these vibrant artists that helps us gain a better understanding of diverse points of views, an appreciation of different cultures and traditions,” said Laysha Ward, vice president, community relations, Target. “It is through the support of this exhibit and our work around the arts, especially in South Florida, that we strive to give back to the communities we serve.”

“The social, cultural and political impact of Chicano life has been a mainstay in America since the birth of our country, and this wonderful exhibit provides a real up-close look at the lives and contributions of Chicanos,” said Jeff Blough, consumer marketing communications manager for HP’s Imaging and Printing Group.  “HP is delighted to play a role in helping the public celebrate a slice of American life.”

Chicano Visions will be on display in the Museum of Art | Fort Lauderdale’s second-floor main galleries from November 18, 2006 through May 1, 2007. For more information onChicano Visions, please visit www.chicano-art-life.com.

About the Museum of Art | Fort Lauderdale

The Museum of Art, founded in 1958, is housed in a building designed (and completed in 1986) by American architect Edward Larrabee Barnes.  In 2003, the Museum inaugurated its Studio Arts Program located in the Riverfront complex, offering courses in painting, drawing, and design.  An active performing arts program, including Inside Out as its resident theater company, is scheduled in the Museum’s 256-seat auditorium.  The Museum has now become well known for its exhibitions, which have ranged from Diana: A Celebration to Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs, and for the highly regarded Artist in Residence program, which broadens the sphere of conversation about contemporary art.  The Museum of Art has become one of South Florida’s leading cultural attractions; since 2003, it has broken all South Florida museum records by hosting more than one million visitors.  The Museum’s collection of more than six thousand works is international in scope, while strongly reflecting the creative expression of the cultures of South Florida and the Caribbean.  It is the mission of the Museum to explore the broadest spectrum of visual culture at the highest level of quality.

About Target

Minneapolis-based Target serves guests at 1,444 stores in 47 states nationwide by delivering today’s best retail trends at affordable prices. Target is committed to providing guests with great design through innovative products, in-store experiences and community partnerships. Whether visiting a Target store or shopping online at Target.com, guests enjoy a fun and convenient shopping experience with access to thousands of unique and highly differentiated items. Target (NYSE:TGT) gives back more than $2 million a week to its local communities through grants and special programs. Since opening its first store in 1962, Target has partnered with nonprofit organizations, guests and team members to help meet community needs.

About Hewlett-Packard Company

HP is a technology solutions provider to consumers, businesses and institutions globally. The company’s offerings span IT infrastructure, global services, business and home computing, and imaging and printing. For the four fiscal quarters ended April 30, 2005, HP revenue totaled $83.3 billion. More information about HP (NYSE, Nasdaq: HPQ) is available at www.hp.com.

About Evergreen Exhibitions (formerly Clear Channel Exhibitions)

Evergreen Exhibitions is based in San Antonio, Texas.  Evergreen is a world leader in providing high quality, state-of-the-art educational family experiences, and produces exhibits in collaboration with more than 200 leading museums and research institutions.