Rasquachismo can be defined as an art form that sources everyday objects as the medium through which the art is created however as discussed by Tomás Ybarra-Frausto in his writing within Chicano and Chicana Art: A Critical Anthology it is more accurate to view rasquachismo as more than just an art form, aesthetic or style but also as a sort of attitude towards, a reflection of and way of life. Inherent to rasquachismo is a sense of resourcefulness, whether it is through reusing containers or through repurposing everyday materials into art. Rasquachismo art can also be read as a challenge to social and economic hierarchies in that it challenges the notion that beauty both natural and artistic belongs to the wealthy. My first time encountering the term Rasquachismo or more specifically Rasquache was in the first couple of pages of Yolanda M. Lopez by Karen Mary Davalos in reference to activist art. Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area I was surrounded by a lot of what could be considered Rasquache art, there were art cars, murals, and mosaics made of driftwood or old glassware. Additionally, although my family is not Latinx or Chicanx my parents and especially my grandparents advocated for the importance of being creatively frugal and always generous. In my own home there are several examples of what could be viewed as Rasqache art, there is an old board game set that was turned into a piece of shelving, Boogey boards with painted bottoms that are hung up as art, and painted and cut drum heads. Below is an example of Rasquachismo in that someone has used toys and other decorations in their front yard.
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