CELEBRATORY CHICANO ART EXHIBIT FEATURES ACTOR CHEECH MARIN

Five-year, 15-city tour presented by Target Stores and sponsored by Hewlett-Packard Company

Actor Cheech Marin’s vision of Chicano art and expression are being brought to life in a blockbuster museum exhibit duo collectively entitled, “CHICANO.” The exhibits, presented by Target Stores and sponsored by Hewlett-Packard Company, are a ground-breaking look at the rich history and contributions of Chicanos. Debuting in San Antonio, Texas, in December 2001, this unprecedented exhibit will visit 15 U.S. cities within the next five years.

Although often overlooked, the influence and contributions of Chicanos to the American landscape cannot be ignored. CHICANO therefore aims to present the many voices of today’s Chicanos via a traditional art exhibit “Chicano Visions: American Painters on the Verge” as well as a multi-media exhibit “Chicano Now: American Expressions.” CHICANO will also visit Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles and San Francisco with additional cities still to be announced.

“Chicano Visions: American Painters on the Verge,” the most comprehensive collection of Chicano paintings ever mounted, will showcase a wide variety of Chicano visual art. Marin’s own personal Chicano art collection, one of the largest in the world, forms the core of this presentation. According to Rene Yáñez, Chicano Visions curator, easel paintings of oil or acrylic on canvas form the bulk of the exhibit. Images of urban life and the Chicano experience are recurring elements throughout the exhibit, which includes pieces by artists Carlos Almaraz, Frank Romero, GRONK, John Valadez, and Patssi Valdez.

“Chicano Now: American Expressions” will invite visitors to experience the impact and joy of Chicano contributions through a wide array of media – video, art, audio and interactive displays.

“We’re bringing our interpretation of the Chicano experience to the American public,” says Marin. “I want all Americans to understand that Chicano culture plays a big part in the patchwork quilt that is Americana. The contributions of Chicanos have been so enormous, but they tend to be overlooked.”

Comedy troupe Culture Clash, actor/producer Marin, television journalist Giselle Fernández, comedians Paul Rodríguez and George López, filmmakers Lourdes Portillo, Robert Rodríguez and Gustavo Vázquez, and performance artist Guillermo Gómez Peña are among the nationally recognized artists who captivate children and adults with their presentations relating to things Chicano.

In addition to these dual exhibits, performances and local events will be hosted in each of the 15 host cities, creating a community-wide celebration of the expressions and contributions of Mexican Americans. CHICANO will also benefit the San Francisco-based Hispanic Scholarship Fund by awarding 45 scholarships to deserving students on behalf of the sponsors, Target Stores and the Corporation Fund. HSF helped to shape the scholarship aspect of the exhibit from its inception. “Cheech has been a friend and champion of HSF for many years. The CHICANO exhibit is yet another example of the pride he has for his heritage,” said Sara Martinez Tucker, HSF president and CEO. “We are proud to support this exhibit and are thankful for the generosity of the Fund, Target Stores and Hewlett Packard.”

“CHICANO shines a spotlight on a culture rich in values and tradition,” says John Remington, vice president of special events and publicity for Target Stores. “Target is presenting the exhibit so that the entire country can take part in the Chicano experience and celebrate the diversity that makes America great.”

Minneapolis-based Target Stores is an upscale discount retailer. It is the largest division of Target Corporation and currently operates 1,019 stores in 46 states nationwide. To learn more about Target Stores, visit the Target web site at www.target.com. Target Stores gives more than $1 million a week to the communities in which it does business. Since it was founded in 1962, Target has contributed five percent of its federally taxable income to its communities through grants, special programs and team member donations.

Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF) is the nation’s largest and most prestigious Hispanic scholarship-granting organization, with a vision to strengthen America by advancing the college education of Hispanic Americans. Since it was founded in 1975, HSF has awarded more than 45,000 scholarships totaling in excess of $58 million to Latinos from all states and Puerto Rico, who have attended more than 1,300 colleges and universities.

Evergreen Exhibitions, based in San Antonio, Texas, which developed and produced the exhibit and is managing the five-year, 15-city tour, is a world leader in providing high quality, state-of-the-art, family-educational experiences, and serves as a major development partner with more than 200 leading museums and research institutions. Evergreen Exhibitions is proud to work with Fortune 500 corporations such as Pfizer Inc, IBM, TIME, John Hancock Financial Services and others to bring blockbuster exhibits and events to people around the globe. Visit Evergreen Exhibitions at Evergreen Exhibitions.

Mike Kempf
(210) 599-0045
Mike@evergreenexhibitions.com

Source: Evergreen Exhibitions
http://www.mikekempf.wpengine.com