Over the years, lowrider style was adapted to motorcycles, bicycles, and dress.

Creative expression became a conduit for cultural expression, and these unique cultural signifiers were critically important symbols of Chicano pride among riders during the rising tides of Civil Rights activism in the 1960s. Riding low also meant driving slow this offered owners a prime opportunity to show off their car’s custom features. ¡Viva Viclas! features 10 custom Harley Davidson motorcycles that have been transformed into motorized works of art, featuring elaborately detailed paint jobs, murals, intricately engraved chrome, and custom leatherwork that represents generations of lowrider artistry originally popularized by Mexican-American and Black car enthusiasts in California and New Mexico during the 1950s.Įstevan Oriol, “Danny Trejo with Bike” (2007)ĭuring this time lowrider cars bucked the prevailing hot rod trends that prioritized speed, and instead owners dropped the physical profile of their vehicles low to the ground. The exhibition reunites the curatorial team behind 2017’s The High Art of Riding Low at the Petersen Automotive Museum in LA, but CAM’s show is unique in its focus on lowrider motorcycle culture. CAM Raleigh tackles this in its exploration of lowrider culture in ¡Viva Viclas! The Art of the Low Rider. We form biases based on the preconceived notions of others when encountering communities that are unfamiliar to our own.

Great portraits challenge viewers to venture beyond their first impressions to interrogate their own gaze, and specifically, what influences it. In this photo, the chrome is not just a shiny distraction, it’s an invitation to the viewer to look deeper. Oriol’s lens suggests there’s more to the man than what his steely visage implies. By Trejo’s side is his lowrider motorcycle the shine of its custom chrome handlebars pierces through the print’s gray tones. His dark eyes are focused directly on Oriol’s lens and it appears as though he won’t let his guard down for a single moment. Trejo’s bare, tattooed chest and arms are slightly puffed out, as if he’s squaring up for a fight. RALEIGH, North Carolina - A black-and-white photo portrait of Danny Trejo taken in 2007 by Estevan Oriol and displayed in CAM Raleigh’s main gallery reinforces the actor’s villainous persona. Serafin Romero (owner), “In Honor of You” (all photos by the author for Hyperallergic)

Low rider art