Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2020/06/19
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Greetings to all. As mentioned last week I stumbled upon a plethora of folk art at the dam end of the city lake. Traditionally this is in East Austin which was heavily hispanic and somewhat African American. In recent years it has heavily gentrified as musicians and artists could find inexpensive housing which led to younger adults to want to live next to the cool kids. So it was a surprising to find this extensive collection and this is maybe 10% on what is essentially two walls and supports for high tension wires coming off the hydro electric plant. http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/don_dory_gmail_com/Austin+Signs/Azteca.jpg.html http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/don_dory_gmail_com/Austin+Signs/Aztec+Sun.jpg.html This one is representative of portraits honoring Tejanos who made a difference in citizens lives in the 60's: http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/don_dory_gmail_com/Austin+Signs/Raul+Salinas.jpg.html This is an older bit of art celebrating life in the home country: http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/don_dory_gmail_com/Austin+Signs/Respecto.jpg.html Then we find many murals of idealized life: http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/don_dory_gmail_com/Austin+Signs/idealized+scene.jpg.html http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/don_dory_gmail_com/Austin+Signs/idealized+suburbia.jpg.html Last, as we move away from the walls we find different art. The first is a celebration of a child who died from cancer but the parents wanted to offer some hope. http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/don_dory_gmail_com/Austin+Signs/Winnie.jpg.html This last one is newer with the addition of a little bit of cultural appropriation. Some of the recent protests reached this far from the downtown and the work on the left is understandable and not out of the spirit of tejano protest: http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/don_dory_gmail_com/Austin+Signs/Please.jpg.html So the appellation used is taken from one of the panels discussing how they felt about themselves. As an outsider to the Anglo community of the sixties but American citizens they used this nomenclature to say they were full blown texans as well as chicano. For our non US readers many residents of Texas consider themselves Texans first and foremost while admitting that they might be US citizens as well. As an example it was only maybe 15 years ago that Texas allowed its power grid to be connected to the larger US grid. All the best until next time. -- Don don.dory at gmail.com -- Don don.dory at gmail.com