Events
Museum Exhibits
Low & Slow: Lowrider Culture on the Border
April 8, 2021 - July 8, 2021
El Paso Museum of History
In El Paso, Texas or Chuco, Tejas, the Lowrider is more than a weekend hobby. Lowriding is a way of life. It is not subculture to the Mexican American experience but part of a complex form of lived history and visual culture. It is a unique iteration of a deeply rooted tradition in auto-mobility. In El Paso, the lowrider could trace its earliest roots to the 1940s, most notably after the Second World War. Arguably, the trend originated in California and made its way to Texas. With the resurgence of full-scale car production after the war, affordable vehicles allowed the working class to access their own ranflas. By the 1970’s, lowriding was a well-known past time representative of a unique brand of “Americanness.” Lowriders were also part of a larger expression that included pachucos/pachucas with their zoot suit styling and cruising. This included an affinity for listening to “oldies.’’ The lowrider lifestyle with all its panache and florid expression is also a form of self-determination in the American visual landscape: a belief that Mexican-Americans resist mainstream aesthetics in favor of their own canon. In other words, to ride on one’s own terms, low & slow with ‘stilo.
More Information: http://history.elpasotexas.gov/
Resilience: Remembering August 3rd
April 8, 2021 - July 8, 2021
On August 3, 2019, a mass shooting at the Wal-Mart #2201 in East Central El Paso shook the city of El Paso, Texas. That day, El Paso and the region lost twenty-two people while many were physically injured and suffered medical trauma. The subsequent year, after a long battle in the hospital, the 23rd victim succumbed to his wounds. In the days and weeks to follow, the grief stricken city banded together to remember the people who lost their lives from this brutal attack. The residents of El Paso as well as people from around the world demonstrated their empathy through their skills by creating murals, memorials, songs and fundraisers to uplift the community, and help the victims’ families. The outpouring of support took shape through a massive block long memorial at the site of the tragedy. Here, El Pasoans and visitors gathered to pay their respects and share their prayers and condolences.
This exhibition aims to highlight the El Paso community’s strength, endurance and love in the face of adversity. Resilience is this community’s hallmark, as it collectively heals and stands strong in love in the face of racism and hate.
More Information: http://history.elpasotexas.gov/
Etchings by Steve Edwards
April 8, 2021 - July 8, 2021
El Paso Museum of History
The exhibition features works by local artist and printmaker Steve ‘Estéban’ Edwards. The collection is a generous donation to the El Paso Museum of History by Jim Singleton on behalf of the estate of his late wife, Mrs. Maureen Ponce Singleton, an enthusiastic collector of Edwards’ works and advocate for the arts, culture, and history.
More Information: https://history.elpasotexas.gov/