Week 6 Public Art: What is Rasquachismo?

 

Rasquachismo is the artistic equivalent of “DIY.” Many Chicanx artists do not have the means to purchase expensive materials to make “high art” with so they resort to using the materials around themselves to create something new. Repurposing found materials is a hallmark of Chicanx art and it seeks to reclaim the word Rasquachismo because it initially had a negative connotation and was used as pejorative for when low-income individuals tried to make due with what they already had. Rasquachismo can be applied to any art forms and everyday life. An example of rasquachismo in film is I Am Joaquin. This film rejected what films at the time were doing and instead focused on creating something with the materials and  resources that were already available. I would like to know if rasquachismo is also found in other cultures and if it is called something else. Is rasquachismo unique to Chicanx aesthetics? I think it is interesting how rasquachismo does not seek to fit into already established norms for art, but instead creates its own category that does not seek or need inclusion. I really like how rasquachismo seeks to create something new just for the sake of. It does not necessarily make something because it is needed, but just to command presence. I think rasquachismo and domesticana are hard to explain and I still haven’t fully grasped both concepts, but I am excited to discuss them during class so I can have a better understanding. I liked reading about the examples of rasquachismo and domesticana because it was funny to see how many of my friends and family participate in it without realizing they are doing it. Rasquachismo makes me especially proud of Chicanx culture because I am starting to learn that my art does not need to conform to Eurocentric ideals.