Los Tejanos: Chicano Art from the Cheech Marin Collection

Writer and entertainer Cheech Marin has amassed an art collection numbering over 700 works of Chicano art, making it the largest Chicano art collection in the United States. In 2017, Art News, recognized Marin among the top 200 art collecters globally. His collection highlights the Chicano movement’s contributions to the art world. Opening January 2018 in Corpus Christi,  Los Tejanos: Chicano Art from the Collection of Cheech Marin presents 39 works of art by the 14 Texas artists currently represented in the most renowned collection of its kind including: Jari “Werc” Alvarez, Melesio (Mel) Casas, Carlos Donjuán, Gaspar Enríquez, Jacinto Guevara, Adán Hernández, Benito Huerta, César A. Martínez, Joe Peña, Alex Rubio, Ricardo Ruiz, Marta Sánchez, Vincent Valdez, and Andy A. Villarreal.

The artists are contemporary storytellers who use their own experiences to interpret symbols and traditions in modern life, yet much of their imagery and subject matter are rooted in historical references. In conjunction with the exhibition, the Art Museum of South Texas will also display artworks by contemporary Chicano artists from the AMST Permanent Collection including Connie Arismendi, Carlos Donjuan, Gaspar Enríquez, Benito Huerta, Luis Jiménez, César A. Martínez, Joe Peña, Franco Mondini-Ruiz, Ricardo Ruiz, Teresa Ruiz, Marta Sanchez, Maricela Sanchez, and Vincent Valdez.

AMST salutes Cheech Marin‘s efforts over the past three decades to bring awareness to the Chicano movement.  The works in his collection, created over the past 25 years, include images and subjects rooted in historical references, yet in contemporary terms, are just as powerful and meaningful today. Over the years, AMST has celebrated Marin’s growing collection by partnering with him to present two previous exhibitions, Menudo: Chicano Art from the Cheech Marin Collection in 2009 and in 2015, Chicanitas: Small Paintings from the Cheech Marin Collection.  The national and international recognition Marin’s collection is now receiving confirms what AMST and Corpus Christi has known for years, Cheech Marin is setting the standard and making Chicano art history.  That being said, AMST is extremely pleased to be highlighting the work of Texas artists with the launch of Los Tejanos and its companion art publication.