What is Rasquachismo?

    Developed by Tomás Ybarra-Frausto, the theory of rasquachismo is rooted in the meaning of rasquache, a word that signifies a frugal, simple, lower class taste. Although rasquachismo once carried a negative connotation, activists during the Chicano movement aimed to transform the term rasquachismo to highlight the resourcefulness and creativity of the Chicano working class in their artistic expression. Rasquachismo is an attitude that promotes an artistic aesthetic that breaks through the professional and materialistic limitations of conventional art by transforming random, everyday objects that may have once been deemed “useless” or “broken” into artistic material in order to create their desired expression with efficiency. 

At my job called The Little Market, we work with artisan women and producers all over the world that employ practices that I believe fall under rasquachismo. One group that I got to meet and learn more about is called Basha. They hand sew quilts made from vintage cotton sari scraps that would have otherwise been thrown out. The quilts feature intricate patterns that tell the stories of the women who make them and through the sale of these quilts, these women are able to work towards economic self-sufficiency. When speaking to them, I learned that their techniques embrace the heart of rasquachismo because they are all survivors of sex trafficking therefore they utilized their inventiveness and survivalist attitude to express themselves artistically while simultaneously supporting themselves. After meeting these women, I was inspired to create a quilt from repurposed materials  so I began cleaning out my closet and gathering vintage clothing pieces that could be cut up. Although my quilt is still a work in progress, I’m incorporating items of clothing that belong to different family members and friends with vivid colors and phrases in order to tell a story about my life growing up as a Chicana in Los Angeles.