Placa/​Rollcall

Charles "Chaz" Bojórquez, Placa/Rollcall, 1980, acrylic on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the artist, 1992.64.1
Copied Charles "Chaz" Bojórquez, Placa/Rollcall, 1980, acrylic on canvas, 68 1⁄4 x 83 1⁄8 in. (173.4 x 211.0 cm.), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the artist, 1992.64.1

Artwork Details

Title
Placa/​Rollcall
Artist
Date
1980
Location
Not on view
Dimensions
68 1⁄4 x 83 1⁄8 in. (173.4 x 211.0 cm.)
Credit Line
Gift of the artist
Mediums
Mediums Description
acrylic on canvas
Classifications
Subjects
  • Abstract
  • Object — letter
Object Number
1992.64.1

Artwork Description

Bojórquez is recognized for bringing Chicano graffiti (or Cholo graffiti) into the established art world. In Placa/Rollcall he blended this form of street art, which denotes territory and neighborhood loyalty, with a personal roll call of people he holds near and dear. An array of fanciful letters fills the canvas. Among the names he includes are Larry, Raton, Snow, and Blades (his girlfriend). Bojórquez’s works showcase the artistry of Chicano graffiti and resonate with traditions of abstract art and calligraphic forms from around the world.

Our America: The Latino Presence in American Art, 2013
Description in Spanish

Bojórquez es reconocido por haber introducido el graffiti chicano (o de cholos) en el mundo del arte establecido. En Placa/​Rollcall fusionó esta forma de arte callejero que marca el territorio y denota la lealtad al barrio, con una nómina personal de la gente que le es cercana y querida. Una matriz de letras intricadas llena la tela. Entre los nombres que incluye están Larry, Raton, Snow y Blades (su novia). La obra de Bojórquez demuestra la destreza artística del graffiti chicano haciendo eco a las tradiciones del arte abstracto y a las formas caligráficas de diversas partes del mundo.

Our America: The Latino Presence in American Art, 2013

Related Books

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Our America: The Latino Presence in American Art
Our America: The Latino Presence in American Art explores how Latino artists shaped the artistic movements of their day and recalibrated key themes in American art and culture. This beautifully illustrated volume presents the rich and varied contributions of Latino artists in the United States since the mid-twentieth century, when the concept of a collective Latino identity began to emerge. Our America includes works by artists who participated in all the various artistic styles and movements, including abstract expressionism; activist, conceptual, and performance art; and classic American genres such as landscape, portraiture, and scenes of everyday life.