Desconocido

Roosevelt High School Walkouts (1970) by Oscar Castillo

I've written about the Pacific Standard Time event plenty of times over the past few weeks, but I don't believe that I have clearly articulated its premise. Its purpose is to document the artists and aesthetic movements that flourished in the Los Angeles area from 1945 to 1980. This is a critically important task because many of the participants of the events under review are getting up in age. Opportunities to record this firsthand testimony are diminishing with each passing year.

And that's why I'm so happy to see Oscar Castillo's photographs on display in "Icons of the Invisible" at UCLA's Fowler Museum. Creating a visual record of the wild days of the Chicano movement, Castillo utilized a photojournalist style in witnessing the lives and environs of Los Angeles' Latino community, a large population that was overlooked and disenfranchised by the various civic institutions, be it political or economic or artistic. In spite of its size and history as an integral part of the city, Latinos were "invisible" to mainstream society, relegated to the barrio.

Refusing to let these people slip away into a forgotten past, Castillo captured the moment through his camera, furnishing evidence of the turbulent era, a time when the downtrodden Chicano culture refused to quietly abide the cruelties of society, defiant even in the face of overt police brutality. With evocative imagery and uncompromising verity, Castillo's photography testifies to the struggle for respect and recognition.

Chicana at Gage Ave. and Whittier Blvd., East Los Angeles (1972) by Oscar Castillo

Sadly, these photographs have become "invisible" themselves, known only to students of the era or enthusiasts of urban cultural photojournalism. "Icons of the Invisible" brings these images back into view, allowing us to give witness to the moment, perhaps recognizing foreshadowing and prophecies of the current state of Latino society in Southern California.

Places to See: Fowler Museum at UCLA

Fowler Museum at UCLA

I visited the Fowler Museum. It's a nice venue with quality collections, especially in regards to the anthropologically inclined. Currently on exhibit are:

Central Nigeria Unmasked: Arts of the Benue River Valley. I don't have much of a background from which to draw in assessing the quality of this show, but it seemed really solid. A great collection of cultural artifacts, detailed write-ups explaining the Nigerian traditions and artforms, and engaging field recordings. I walked into the show in complete ignorance, and left it feeling informed.

His Masters' Tools: Recent Work by Allan deSouza. Interesting post-colonial contemporary work. Most of it didn't do it for me, but a few hit home. I especially liked the drunken monkey. ;-)

Jam Session: America's Jazz Ambassadors Embrace the World. I'm not a big photography buff, but this show captured me. It told a powerful story through the collected images. My knowledge of Jazz history is on the weak side, but I do recall how Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington would tour internationally for the State Department. This exhibit rounded out my knowledge and added compelling images to the dry facts. Moreover, the background music was FANTASTIC. I especially enjoyed Anita O'Day's version of "Take the A-Train." All in all, it was a superb show.

Art and the Unbreakable Spirit of Haiti: A small exhibit, but good artifact quality. It wouldn't stand on its own strength, but the quality of the other shows carried the weight. It was a "side dish" show, but a good one.

Intersections: World Arts, Local Lives. A nice general anthro artifact show. Scattered selection both in type and culture, but plenty of interesting material. I felt that the show was weak on narrative, but strong on material. All in all, well worth a viewing.

Reflecting Culture. An exhibit of silver works. Of course, that gets a big thumbs up from me. What type of lunatic doesn't adore silver? Heck, if I were to have any complaint, it would be that there wasn't enough silver. After all, there were only two silver ships. I'm wanting an armada. And just because Herakles had twelve labors doesn't mean we are limited to only twelve silver plates. More silver!!!!! ;-)

So, that's my take on the current shows at the Fowler. If this interests you, then I highly recommend visiting it. After all, admission is free. How can you beat that?!

Here's the link to the Fowler.

Enjoy!!!