Refreshing San Antonio

Poetry and Art


     

Luis Valderaz

       
       

The Mariachi Guerrilla Photos Series by Luis Valderas

    In the series El Mariachi Lacho I use the image of my father dressed in his 1930's mariachi outfit as an icon and alter ego of the Mexican-American hero navigating modern arrays of sociopolitical structures. I create compositions based on a reinterpretation of ancient myths with contemporary issues. These narratives in combination with icons I have created based on Meso-American glyphs and design sensibilities form the basis of my work.     The Mariachi Guerrilla Photos Series is a group of Guerrilla-Art photographs that I take while superimposing the image of my father dressed in his 1930's mariachi outfit onto already existing surface compositions-billboards, advertisements, walls, train boxcars, etc. The photo-cutout image becomes my expropriation tool to make social commentary. I further alter the image by adding my icons and glyphs to the compositions.


       
Luis Valderaz-Corporate Sunrise
Corporate Sunrise - Target Market
What is the generational impact of Latinos from Mexico on Contemporary American Culture and the stereotype mariachi hero figure as a corporate target?
Luis Valderaz-Boxcar Desert Mirage 60K Bar
Boxcar Mirage-60K Limit
I was thinking about the ambiguity of symbols limits and proportions of acceptance and balance within the context of a boxcar and a socio-economic level. How much is too much?
Luis Valderaz-Boxcar Desert Mirage Dream Numbers
Boxcar Desert - Mirage Dream Numbers
When do numbers of actual people become interchangeable with numbers of dreams of our people? What does that mean in a boxcar desert mirage?
Luis Valderaz-Extra Soul Required
Extra Soul Required
What does it mean to have extra soul and the idea of transcendence represented with the Mariachi hero figure? How does it relate to the journey of the Mariachi hero figure?
Luis Valderaz-She V-Power
She V-Power
The ancient one say that The Earth Mother is the one that gives birth to us and welcomes us back into death...Mariachi Lacho supports: Power Of Women. Luis Valderas supports this message.
Luis Valderaz-Line in the Boxcar Dessert

Line in the Boxcar Dessert
What is threshold and what does it means to exist between borders? What does it look like to step across?
Luis Valderaz-Mailbox Mariachi Mirage-Home

Mailbox Mariachi Mirage-Home
How does the welcome of a Mariachi hero figure influence the mailbox as a symbol of the changing landscape of home and location?
Luis Valderaz-The Pecan Tree Waiting for the Sacred Feather Ball
At The Pecan Tree waiting for the Sacred Feather Ball
What is our duty to the stories of our ancestors? How are our ancestors like trees that remain after they die? How and Where do we plant the seeds in our trees of life?
Luis Valderaz-Stations
Stations
What separates us from understanding our connection to each other?
Luis Valderaz-The Mariachi Ladder in Green

The Green Ladder Camouflaged
How do the stories of our ancestors become disguised within the jungle of society and culture?