07 Aug Chicanitas: Small Paintings from the Cheech Marin Collection
Cheech Marin announces the release of Chicanitas: Small Paintings from the Cheech Marin Collection {size doesn’t matter}, a new art book featuring 70 full-color images of paintings by 27 painters from his renowned collection of Chicano art. Marin – well known for his work in movies, television, and improvisational comedy – has been acquiring art since 1984, amassing one of the world’s top private Chicano art collections.
Marin’s most recent passion is collecting small paintings averaging 16 inches square and smaller in size. In contrast to other works in his collection representing and promoting the Chicano art movement of the mid-1960s and 1970s, the content of many in Chicanitas leans more towards an artist’s internal or personal statement rather than as a response to political, social or cultural situations.
The featured paintings, which range from photo-realism to abstractions to portraits to landscapes, offer a window into the lives of the artists. Whether showing a glimpse of a neighborhood as Margaret García does with her expressive paintings of a car wash, hair salon, grocery store and taco stand; or personal interests such as graffiti art, street fashion and underground music that influence the works of Carlos Donjuán; or peppered with mystery and a bit of humor as in Ricardo Ruiz’s Masotas portraits based on family members; or making a statement about the double standards imposed on Mexican women as Ana Teresa Fernández does in To Press I and To Press II; or John Valadez’s underwater figure studies painted on ceramic tiles, each artist draws on his or her own upbringing, cultural heritage, education and life experiences for inspiration.
A museum exhibition that features artworks in the book is touring nationally — it is currently on view at the University of Wyoming Art Museum in Laramie through November 23, 2013. It then travels to the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego where it is on view from December 21, 2013 through March 23, 2014. At present, the exhibition is booked through 2015.
For details and a tour schedule of the exhibition, visit www.CheechMarin.com/Chicanitas. To download a full press release, click HERE. For more information about the book and the authors, click HERE.
ORDER YOUR COPY OF CHICANITAS TODAY!
To purchase books, click the PayPal button above. You can also buy online on Amazon and through the Cheech Marin website in addition to my Downtown Muse.
WHOLESALE ORDERS & GROUP SALES: Email me by clicking HERE.
BOOKSIGNING EVENTS: Want a signed book? Cheech is signing books at selected locations in Los Angeles and other cities. For an updated schedule, bookmark this page or or visit the Cheech Marin website.
(NOTE: Sorry – no merchandise other than Chicanitas, Papel Chicano, and Chicano Visions art books will be signed)
THU 10/3 @ 7:30 PM to 9:00 PM
ChimMaya Gallery
5283 E. Beverly Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90022
Buy a pre-signed book in advance of the event at ChimMaya Gallery and get VIP treatment! The FIRST 75 people who purchase one or more books receive admittance to an exclusive reception with Cheech and some of the book’s featured artists Yolanda Gonzalez, Margaret Garcia, Cici Segura Gonzalez and Jose Lozano from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM. To order a book in advance, visit the ChimMaya website and qualify for VIP admittance during 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM (space limited). Please notify us of your interest in attending the VIP event by sending an email HERE!
TUE 10/8 @ 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM
KPCC Pledge Drive Party: Conversation & Booksigning with Cheech
KPCC Crawford Family Forum
474 S. Raymond Ave., Pasadena, CA 91105
Directions & Parking
BUY TIX HERE • RSVP on Facebook
Hosted by Off-Ramp’s John Rabe with environment reporter Molly Peterson, join actor, director, comedian, author and Chicano art advocate Cheech Marin in conversation with KPCC editor Oscar Garza about his new book (based on an currently touring exhibition with the same name) “Chicanitas: Small Paintings from the Cheech Marin Collection {size doesn’t matter}.” This event is a live broadcast and will be videostreamed online. Live music performed by Conjunto Los Pochos core members Otoño Luján on the button-accordion and Elliott Baribeault on the bajo sexto.
ADMISSION: $60 per person ($50 for members) includes an autographed copy of Cheech’s new Chicanitas book ($40 retail value), a bag of KPCC swag, and refreshments. Proceeds benefit KPCC 89.3, a nonprofit radio station.
SAT 10/12 @ 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Vincent Price Art Museum
1301 Avenida Cesar Chavez
Monterey Park, CA 91754
Visit the Vincent Price Art Museum at East L.A. College on Saturday, October 12 to see the nationally touring exhibition “Santa Ana Condition: John Valadez” (on view through December 7, 2013) and participate in an exclusive artist walkthrough at 2:00 PM with John Valadez. The artist will also sign books in advance of the walkthrough at 1:00 PM with collector and art advocate Cheech Marin.
1:00 PM—BOOKSIGNING: Valadez signs his exhibition catalog “Santa Ana Condition: John Valadez” ($32.95). Marin signs his latest art book “Chicanitas: Small Paintings from the Cheech Marin Collection” ($39.99). Books sold on site – no other items may be presented for signatures. Cash, Visa, Mastercard, Discover accepted.
2:00 PM—ARTIST WALKTHROUGH: John Valadez discusses his work and career. Admission to the museum is free. Gallery capacity limited to 200 attendees.
Chicanitas: Small Paintings from the Cheech Marin Collection {size doesn’t matter}
Specifications: contains 70 color images, an essay by art advocate and collector Cheech Marin plus an artwork checklist and artist biographies by Melissa Richardson Banks
Hardcover: 84 pages
Retail Cost: $39.99
Publisher: CauseConnect LLC
Publication Date: September 2013
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0989114805
ISBN-13: 978-0989114806
Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 8.3 x 0.5 inches
Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
Book Credits
– Essay and Artwork Selection: Cheech Marin
– Artist Biographies: Melissa Richardson Banks
– Editing and Production: Melissa Richardson Banks
– Publishing: CauseConnect LLC
– Distribution and Promotion: Downtown Muse
– Book Design: Babet Modeno of KGB Studios
– Cover Design: Tiffany Fairall of Mesa Contemporary Arts
– Cover Artwork: Ricardo Ruiz (front) and Margaret Garcia (back)
ABOUT THE COLLECTOR & AUTHOR: Cheech Marin is best known as one half of the hilariously irreverent duo of Cheech and Chong. While primarily known as an actor, a director, and a performer, Cheech has developed what is arguably the finest private collection of Chicano art. Much of it formed the core of his traveling exhibition Chicano Visions: American Painters on the Verge, which broke attendance records during its ground-breaking 15-city tour during 2001-2007 to major art museums across the United States. He states: “Chicano art is American art. My goal is to bring the term Chicano to the forefront of the art world.” In addition to being a collector and an art advocate, Cheech is a sought-after public speaker and an author. His children’s books include Cheech and the Spooky Ghost Bus (2009); Captain Cheech (2008), and Cheech the School Bus Driver (2007). His art books include Chicanitas: Small Paintings from the Cheech Marin Collection {size doesn’t matter} (2013), Papel Chicano: Works on Paper from the Cheech Marin Collection (2007), and Chicano Visions: American Painters on the Verge (2001).
ABOUT THE PUBLISHER & EDITOR: Based in the Arts District of Downtown Los Angeles, Melissa Richardson Banks is a cultural producer known as @DowntownMuse (winner of 2013 ”Best Tumblr” LA Weekly Web Award) and is the CEO of CauseConnect®, a cause-related marketing firm. She produces art-related events, programs, and community projects such as museum exhibitions, music festivals, speaker series, concerts, influencer dinners, artist studio tours, and underground salons. She manages Cheech Marin’s Chicano art collection, which includes producing related projects such as exhibitions, publications, and documentary films. In addition to publishing Chicanitas: Small Paintings from the Cheech Marin Collection {size doesn’t matter}, she edited Papel Chicano: Works on Paper from the Collection of Cheech Marin (2007), which won the 2008 “Best Design” International Latino Book Award. This November, Richardson Banks releases her book of her own photographs taken during her daily Arts District walks. As the founder of the consulting firm CauseConnect, Melissa Richardson Banks specializes in helping companies reach their target markets and fulfill CSR goals through signature community programs designed to engage employees, meaningfully connect with charities and causes, and uniquely incorporate the arts and the environment. Her primary focus areas are arts and culture, education, environment, and community, particularly Latino audiences
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