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Rupert García, Artist

Rupert García, Artist
Usage Conditions Apply
Associated Title
Chicano Male Unbonded Series
Artist
Harry Gamboa Jr., born 1951
Sitter
Rupert García, born 29 Sep 1941
Date
2012
Type
Photograph
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")
Topic
Costume\Dress Accessory\Eyeglasses
Exterior\Cityscape
Rupert García: Male
Rupert García: Visual Arts\Artist\Printmaker
Rupert García: Literature\Writer
Rupert García: Visual Arts\Artist\Painter
Portrait
Credit Line
National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; acquisition made possible through the Smithsonian Latino Initiatives Pool, administered by the Smithsonian Latino Center
Restrictions & Rights
Usage conditions apply
Copyright
© Harry Gamboa, Jr.
Object number
C/NPG.2016.73
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.
Data Source
National Portrait Gallery
Exhibition
20th Century Americans: 2000 to Present
On View
NPG, South Gallery 341