Jessica Donath
One of the most successful exhibitions in the history of L.A.'s Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles had one major shortcoming, according to visitors: not enough cars.
“The High Art of Riding Low: Ranflas, Corazón e Inspiración” has been on display since July and showcases the popular Chicano car as fine-art inspiration and object.
“Our exhibit was never in the car space, it’s in the fine art gallery, so we didn’t have room for all these cars,” said Denise Sandoval, curator of the exhibit. “People just love their lowriders and wanted to see more cars.”
With the four new lowriders in the main lobby, museumgoers now can marvel at six cars outside the gallery, as well as three featured inside.
“They wanted to have a good mix of different colors, as well as different models of lowriders and styles,” said Sandoval, a professor of Chicana and Chicano Studies at California State University, Northridge.
The new additions are a 1963 Chevrolet Impala Convertible “Slippin’ Into Darkness” by Cleto Sanchez; a 1987 Oldsmobile Cutlass “RM Series” by Bobby Garza (Lowrider of the Year 2014); a 1958 Chevrolet Impala “Lemonlaid” by Danny Arriaga; and a 1972 Monte Carlo “Fatal Attraction” by Jose Alvarez.
“We are thrilled to welcome more lowriders as an expansion of the extremely popular lowrider exhibition,” said Terry L. Karges, the museum’s executive director. “It’s clear that our community truly loves and appreciates these elaborate masterpieces for the purpose they serve as embodiments of fine art and Chicano culture in Los Angeles.”
The new cars will be on display through Jan. 14. The lowrider exhibition closes at the end of June.
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