ASCO was an art collective based in East Los Angeles. Active from 1972-1987, they were heavily influenced by the Chicano Movement of the 1960’s and 70’s. Though their concerns ran concurrent with those of the Chicano Movement, as artists they placed special focus on how media, art and culture represented and portrayed the Mexican-American experience during this time period. At equal turns cynical, hilarious, absurd and deadly serious, ASCO pushed the boundaries of what straight, white America thought about – and expected from – the Latinx community.
Through my intro, the insightful ASCO Interviews, and the two print articles below, please familiarize yourself with ASCO. Your assignment regarding their work is below the links.
MY ASCO INTRO:
https://youtu.be/nvqvzD6EhAI (Links to an external site.)
The ASCO INTERVIEWS:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyFViWGU06I (Links to an external site.)
EAST OF BORNEO ARTICLE:
https://eastofborneo.org/articles/your-art-disgusts-me-early-asco-1971-75/ (Links to an external site.)
NEW YORK TIMES ARTICLE:
https://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/28/arts/design/works-by-asco-at-the-los-angeles-museum.html (Links to an external site.)
Now that you have familiarized yourself with the work of ASCO I would like for you to write about their piece Spray Paint LACMA. By now you have listened to and read quite a bit about this piece, and I would like you to answer these questions:
1. Do you think that this piece is art or vandalism? What’s the difference?
2. How did this work transform the building that houses the museum?
