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Catalog Data

Artist:
Harry Gamboa Jr., born 1951  Search this
Sitter:
Rupert García, born 29 Sep 1941  Search this
Medium:
Gelatin silver print
Dimensions:
Image: 32.5 × 21.6 cm (12 13/16 × 8 1/2")
Sheet: 35.5 × 27.8 cm (14 × 10 15/16")
Type:
Photograph
Date:
2012
Exhibition Label:
Born French Camp, California
Artist Rupert García is known primarily for his graphic works that confront racism. In the 1960s, he joined Latino and minority movements in the Bay Area to protest the mistreatment of Latinos in the United States. For García, the Chicano Movement’s emphasis on social change was “crucial because it introduced ideas about who should be in a picture and why and for what purpose.” His paintings, pastels, and screen prints synthesize Pop art with the colorful and bold Mexican muralist tradition, amplifying stories of struggle and resistance as well as previously buried Chicano stories.
This portrait is part of Harry Gamboa Jr.’s ongoing series Chicano Male Unbonded, which actively combats the stereotyping of Mexican American men. Here, García’s head tilts upward as his gaze shifts downward. His casual pose and unassuming demeanor suggest his approachability, a strategy on the part of the photographer to emphasize connection with viewers.
Nacido en French Camp, California
Rupert García se ha dado a conocer por sus obras gráficas que confrontan el racismo. En la década de 1960 se integró a los movimientos latinos y minoritarios del área de la bahía de San Francisco para protestar contra el maltrato a los latinos en EE.UU. Según García, el énfasis del movimiento chicano en el cambio social fue “crucial porque renovó la noción de quiénes deben ser representados [en el arte] y por qué y con qué fin”. Sus pinturas, pasteles y serigrafías sintetizan el arte pop con la colorida tradición muralista mexicana para difundir historias de lucha y resistencia así como historias chicanas silenciadas.
Este retrato pertenece a la serie en curso de Harry Gamboa Jr. Chicano Male Unbonded, que combate los estereotipos de los hombres mexicoamericanos. Aquí García levanta la cabeza pero dirige su mirada hacia abajo. La sencillez de su pose y su actitud insinúa su carácter accesible. Esta estrategia del fotógrafo acentúa la conexión con el observador.
Topic:
Costume\Dress Accessory\Eyeglasses  Search this
Exterior\Cityscape  Search this
Rupert García: Male  Search this
Rupert García: Visual Arts\Artist\Printmaker  Search this
Rupert García: Literature\Writer  Search this
Rupert García: Visual Arts\Artist\Painter  Search this
Portrait  Search this
Credit Line:
National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; acquisition made possible through the Smithsonian Latino Initiatives Pool, administered by the Smithsonian Latino Center
Object number:
C/NPG.2016.73
Restrictions & Rights:
Usage conditions apply
Copyright:
© Harry Gamboa, Jr.
See more items in:
National Portrait Gallery Collection
Exhibition:
20th Century Americans: 2000 to Present
On View:
NPG, South Gallery 341
Data Source:
National Portrait Gallery
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/sm408d861c2-8a09-4b8e-b97c-5dfbe69f2b1d
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:npg_C_NPG.2016.73