RASQUACHISMO

 Rasquachismo is the philosophy of creating art outside the realm of artistic conventional norms. In other words, it is making art in non-traditional ways through non-traditional means. When I think of Rasquachismo, I think of Gilberto “Magu” Lujan and the way he makes art with super bright colors and abstract designs. One piece that comes to mind is El Jaguar-man and El Pyramid Man where the viewer is left asking themselves what this piece even means. Upon further inspection, we are faced with Aztec imagery with the jaguar and the pyramid, but we are left to reckon with the use of such bright colors. It’s abstract in concept, but also in his use of colors chillantes. I personally have had no personal experiences with Rasquachismo, but can attest to the fact that I have felt or seen my work out of place, or outside of conventional norms. For example, I once gave a speech on Malcolm X, his relationship with Islam, and how his legacy influenced me to pursue Ethnic Studies (specifically, Chicanx Studies) to an audience of retired police, white senior citizens, and ultra-conservative WASPs. I won 1st place in the speech competition, but not without criticism after the speech.