L.A.'s Peterson Museum is adding 4 new lowriders
The Petersen Automotive Museum has been growing in popularity. Lowriders are a part of this vast exhibit that will continue through summer this year. As of January 14, 2018 the lowrider exhibit will be adding four more vehicles to the exhibition.
The exhibition is considered an expression of art that goes beyond only cars. Dr. Denise M. Sandoval, a professor of Chicano studies at Cal State Northridge and the exhibit's guest curator wrote, “'The High Art of Riding Low: Ranflas, Corazon e Inspiracion' examines the diversity and complexity with which 50 artists visualize and celebrate the lowrider car through vehicles, paintings, sculptures and on-site installations. The lowrider car (ranfla) inspires many artists, but it is especially celebrated by Chicano artists throughout the Southwest.”
These are the new cars known for not being race cars:
- 1963 Impala Convertible “Slippin’ Into Darkness” by Cleto Sanchez
- 1987 Olds Cutlass “RM Series” by Bobby Garza
- 1958 Impala “Lemonlaid” by Danny Arriaga
- 1972 Monte Carlo “Fatal Attraction” by Jose Alvarez
With these four new cars, the exhibit expands the representation of those vehicles characterized as being nice and slow. These four vehicles join other iconic lowriders.
Definitively the most iconic of these is the Gypsy Rose. This car had been on display at the National Mall in Washington, D.C. in a glass case last summer.
Sitting right next to Gypsy Rose, we find the 1939 Chevrolet Master Deluxe four-door, nicknamed Gangster Squad by artist Mr. Cartoon. He named it this due to the mural that is painted on the vehicle.
Interestingly enough, the exhibit of cars, lowriders specifically, more than being about the cars, it is about the art displayed on them. The art on them is in such detail that brings everyday objects to new life.
“The cars are a jumping-off point, a portal to other art forms,” said museum curator Leslie Kendall.
“Lowriding tells a story, expresses identification, expresses a culture,” Sandoval said. “These cars express our place in Los Angeles.”
The exhibit will be open until May or June, 2018.