IMAGE 3: MEL CASAS, HUMANSCAPE 62, 1969. Courtesy San Antonio College Show More Show Less 3 of 10 "Humanscape 62 (Brownies of the Southwest)," a 1970 painting by Mel Casas, will … It is curated by Ruben C. Cordova and is the first exhibition of its kind to focus on the politically themed paintings from the “Humanscape” series. Mel Casas: Humano presenta seis obras de la serie Humanscape del artista, así como ocho Cajas de Arte—nunca antes expuestas—en la primera exposición individual en honor a Casas en el Museo McNay. Humanscape 51; Date 1969. He is best known for his series of 150 large … The following oral history transcript is the result of a tape-recorded interview with Mel Casas on August 14 &16, 1996. New art exhibition coming to Centro de Artes June 11-Sept. 27. He is best known for his series of 150 large-scale paintings called "Humanscapes" that were painted … Skip to end of content Humanscape 95: Bird Watching Art, 1978. As a public health precaution due to COVID-19, all Smithsonian museums are closed temporarily. IMAGE 2: MEL CASAS, HUMANSCAPE 63, 1969. San Antonio-based artist Mel Casas died on November 30, 2014 after a two-year battle with cancer. San Antonio Current Staff 54 images. Condition:--not specified. script.id = 'commitchange-script'; Education ... Publicado en: Educación. first.parentNode.insertBefore(script, first); Casas’ Humanscape 62 crystallizes many of the recurring concerns featured in Chicano art of the late 1960s and 1970s. © 2021 Skip to main content.sg.
Mel Casas, Humanscape 36 (detail), 1967. His work has been collected by the San Antonio Museum of Art, Smithsonian American Art Museum, and nationally and internationally. 1992 Mel Casas Humanscape painting Houston gallery vintage print ad. "12 His work has been collected by the San Antonio Museum of Art, Smithsonian American Art Museum,3 and nationally and internationally.4 He is best known for his series of 150 … Followers 31. 2 of 9 “Humanscape 62 (Brownies of the Southwest),” a 1970 painting by Mel Casas, is part of the permanent collection at the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Until very recently, Casas painted tirelessly throughout the decades. Through September 12, Free, 10 am-5pm Tue-Sun, Texas A&M UniversityâSan Antonio, Educational & Cultural Arts Center, 101 S. Santa Rosa Ave., (210) 784-1105, tamusa-ecac.com Collection of the Mel Casas Family Trust. Bio American, 1929–2014. Next, Casas added stenciled captions to the bottom of his paintings, making conceptual wordplay an important aspect of his work. With the history of art as its foundation, Kelker took several steps to correlate Casas’ body of works to America’s social history, popular culture, psychology, gender studies, and issues of social justice. "He taught generations of artists at SAC and he was a respected theorist, teacher and mentor. })(); Podcast examining Tejano star Selena Quintanillaâs impact on culture launches next week, Monster Jam truck rally at Alamodome postponed until July, DreamWeekâs virtual discussions aim to build civic engagement, We all need to stop doomscrolling and find better things to look at on social media right now. Artist Mel Casas (American, 1929–2014) Culture / Nationality American. Available for sale from Ruiz-Healy Art, Mel Casas, Humanscape 95: Bird Watching Art (1978), Acrylic on canvas, 72 × 96 in Works for sale (15) Notable Works. Item Information. Mel Casas & The Humanscapes 428 visualizaciones. Published on May 15, 2013. . SAN ANTONIO, Texas — Over the course of 20 years, Mel Casas (1929–2014) painted 150Humanscapes, massive compositions that evoke drive-in movie theaters, Western landscape painting, and classical still lifes. Late in life, he even turned down opportunities to have museum shows that would have helped solidify his legacy," Cordova noted. In Casas’ hands Pop Art became a vehicle for cultural, social and political commentary from a Chicano point-of-view. All parts of this site Copyright © 2021 San Antonio Current. The 153 paintings that San Antonio-based artist Mel Casas calls Humanscapes were inspired by a glimpse of a drive-in movie screen. Utilizó declaraciones visuales, su sentido del humor y el amor de los juegos de palabras "para dirigirse a los estereotipos culturales." Selected as the San Antonio Art League's Artist of the Year in 1968, Casas used his acceptance speech to strip the clothes off a Barbie doll while lecturing about the privileges of being white, blond and blue-eyed. This site uses cookies to improve your experience and to help show ads that are more relevant to your interests. The Smithsonian American Art Museum is proud to own paintings by artist, including Humanscape 62, which was featured in our exhibition Our America: The Latino Presence in American Art. This pop art style-blend illustrates the Chicano experience to American culture and creates a push and pull narrative about Latino identity. Humanscape 43.jpg. "Mel Casas: Artist as Cultural Adjuster" is a book that will appeal to many audiences from everyday people to academics. Available for sale from Ruiz-Healy Art, Mel Casas, Humanscape 94: Art Lures (1978), Acrylic on canvas, 72 × 96 in Currently on view at the McNay art museum in San Antonio, in conjunction with the exhibition Pop América, 1965–1975, is a presentation of six large-scale paintings and eight other works by the late San Antonio-based artist Mel Casas (1929-2014). Melesio “Mel” Casas, Humanscape 62, 1970, acrylic, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase through the Luisita L. and Franz H. Denghausen Endowment. For more information, go to www.tamusa-ecac.com. Humanscape 46.jpg. Hello Select your address All Hello, Sign in. Casas painted “Humanscape 47 (Still-Life)” as a tribute to Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr., who were both assassinated that year, and John F. Kennedy, who was killed in 1963. Photo: MEL CASAS / … Casas is best known for a handful of paintings with Chicano themes, such as Humanscape 65 (New Horizons, 1971) and Humanscape 68 (Kitchen Spanish, 1973), which have been featured in many traveling exhibitions. San Antonio Current works for you, and your support is essential. Through September 27. Acrylic on canvas. Instead, Casas, who died last year, had to settle for a minor retrospective in 1988 at Austin's Laguna Gloria Art Museum. This article treats the first three years of work on this series, a period in which the artist referenced cinematic settings and audiences while registering aspects of the sexual revolution. script.setAttribute('data-npo-id', npo); By Mel Casas, 1969. Condition:--not specified. His work has been collected by the San Antonio Museum of Art, Smithsonian American Art Museum, and nationally and internationally.
Courtesy San Antonio College Show More Show Less 3 of 10 "Humanscape 62 (Brownies of the Southwest)," a 1970 painting by Mel Casas, will become … In 2012, the Smithsonian purchased its second work by Casas, Humanscape 62 (Brownies of the Southwest). 5 of 10 Humanscape 70 (Comic Whitewash), left, Humanscape 68 (Kitchen Spanish) and Humanscape 65 (New Horizons) are part of the show "Getting the Big Picture: Mel Casas … Through October 24, Free, By appointment, FL!GHT Gallery,134 Blue Star, (210) 872-2586, facebook.com/flightsa I think this is why he refused to show much in San Antonio. In sections devoted to the Southwest landscape, food and regional stereotypes, Casas merged his social concerns with a mastery of applying wet paint to canvas, although he did not like to use a brush. This exhibition is organized by Bianca Alvarez, Semmes Foundation Intern in … Humanscape - An Exhibition in Tribute to Mel Casas By Office of University Communications Tuesday, 05 26 2015. [SLIDESHOW: 10 Paintings From âSex and Cinema with Mel Casas, 1965-1968â At FL!GHT Gallery], However, the notorious "Barbie incident" may have made the local art establishment leery of Casas' cantankerousness. Overview. Casas' creamy, candy-colored paintings spoofing Southwestern stereotypes are easy to enjoy and still provide a fresh look at shibboleths such as Southwestern desert landscapes, Georgia O'Keeffe-style still-life paintings and, to quote Jon Stewart, political/cultural "bullshit." Mel Casas: Human is presented in tandem with Pop América, 1965–1975, in which the artist is also featured; the two exhibitions mark the premiere of the artist’s work at the McNay. Seguir Publicado el 26 de oct. de 2017. By Mel Casas, 1969. © 2018 Mel Casas Family Trust Our small but mighty local team works tirelessly to bring you high-quality, uncensored news and cultural coverage of San Antonio and beyond. Casas decided it would be his last Humanscape because he had run out of clichés to mock.
Mel Casas: Humanscapes. New art exhibition coming to Centro de Artes June 11-Sept. 27. Collection of the Mel Casas Family Trust. For a chronological tour, start with the earliest paintings in "Sex and Cinema with Mel Casas, 1965-1968" at FL!GHT gallery through Saturday (August 22). Casas decided it would be his last Humanscape because he had run out of clichés to mock. View all works. Titles. His signature “Humanscape” paintings were designed as "impact pieces" intended to challenge… The interview took place in San Antonio, Texas, and was conducted by Paul Karlstrom for the Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution. Creator Name: Casas, Melesio Creator Nationality: North American; American Creator Role: Artist Creator Dates/Places: born 1929 Creator Name-CRT: Melesio Casas Title: Humanscape 141: Barrio Dog Title Type: Title View: Full View Creation Start Date: 1987 Creation … His signature “Humanscape” paintings were designed as "impact pieces" intended to challenge… The recent passing of pioneering Chicano artist Mel Casas got me thinking about the current state of affairs for Latino art in San Antonio, a city with a sizeable Mexican American majority. (182.9 × 243.8 cm) Credit Line Bequest of Robert H. Wilson, Jr. His work has been collected by the San Antonio Museum of Art, Smithsonian American Art Museum, and nationally and internationally. Price: US $9.99. Available for sale from Ruiz-Healy Art, Mel Casas, Humanscape 135: #2 Mexican Plate (1984), Acrylic on canvas, 72 × 96 in San Antonio-based artist Mel Casas died on November 30, 2014 after a two-year battle with cancer. A notable exception may be Casas' best-known painting, Brownies of the Southwest (1970), which contrasts a brown-skinned Girl Scout with a chocolate dessert and Latino icons, purchased three years ago by the Smithsonian American Art Museum and currently included in the national touring exhibit "Our America: The Latino Presence in American Art. Titles.
The Art League stripped Casas of the award, and now the list of artists of the year on the league's website lists the 1968 winner as "All Past Artists.". Humanscape 38.jpg. Acrylic on canvas. Though he has a reputation as a political artist, only a few paintings contain explicitly Chicano iconography. Like this improbable encounter, “Humanscape #57” is visually contradictory: the botanical drawing is explicitly labeled a bluebonnet, but the sprawling, unrealistic flowers below test the limits of this claim. All public programs are online only, on-site public tours and events are currently suspended. Medium Acrylic on canvas. Item Information. Featured in the Whitney Biennial, The Anatomy of a White Dog (1973), cross-sections of a German shepherd and giant purple bone, refers to the dogs used against Freedom Marchers at Selma and what Casas called "the fear of the black penis. 1992 Mel Casas Humanscape painting Houston gallery vintage print ad. ", [SLIDESHOW: 21 Paintings From âGetting the Big Picture: Mel Casas and the Politics of the 1960s and 1970sâ At GalerÃa Guadalupe]. Humanscape 37.jpg. E. CARMEN RAMOS: This is Mel Casas’ “Humanscape 62,” which is a painting that he executed in 1970. Mel Casas: Artist as Cultural Adjuster showcases the work of American Pop Artist Mel Casas. The next painting is the fetus abstracted in a projected image. Photo: MEL CASAS / COURTESY PHOTO This site uses cookies to improve your experience and to help show ads that are more relevant to your interests. November 25, 2020. Perhaps the artist could have also pushed more. Melesio "Mel" Casas (November 24, 1929 – November 30, 2014) was a Chicano artist, activist, writer and teacher. During his lifetime, the El Paso-born painter never had a major exhibit at one of his adopted hometown's museums, despite being included in the 1975 Whitney Biennial and the landmark "Chicano Art: Resistance and Affirmation" in the 1990s. He used visual statements, his sense of humor and love of puns to "address cultural stereotypes. Mel Casas is one of San Antonio's most influential artists, yet also among the most overlooked. Sign in to check out Check out as guest . The exhibit includes six of Casas’ famous Humanscape series, of which he made 150. Melesio "Mel" Casas was a Chicano artist, activist, writer and teacher. ... NOTICE: All paintings represented on this site are the original work of Mel Casas. The item you've selected was not added to … "He complained about not being paid by galleries and being shunned by the local museums. While he took pride in his Mexican-American heritage, Casas chaffed against the Chicano label. 27 San Antonio artists and makers you should be following on Instagram right now. The 153 paintings that San Antonio-based artist Mel Casas calls Humanscapes were inspired by a glimpse of a drive-in movie screen. On Friday, June 5 at 6 p.m., the Casas retrospective, “Getting the Big Picture: Political Themes in the Art of Mel Casas, 1968-1977,” opens at the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center. Humanscape 42.jpg. Melesio Casas, Humanscape 141: Barrio Dog, 1987, acrylic on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase through the Luisita L. and Franz … Casas is known for his Humanscape painting series whereby over the span of 150 paintings the Chicano experience slowly moves from the periphery to the center. Arts
While the San Antonio–based Chicano painter and cofounder of the Con Safos group was highly regarded by local artists, he was relatively underrecognized by art institution Cordova traced the beginning of the Humanscapes to an epiphany Casas had in 1965 when he drove past the San Pedro drive-in movie theater. Humanscapes is one of the most remarkable series of paintings in the history of American art.". var first = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; var npo = 5273; Mel Casas’s pun-laced Humanscape 62 combines elements familiar to many Americans: brownie desserts and a young Girl Scout (a Brownie), with traditional Mexican imagery. Subscribe now to get the latest news delivered right to your inbox. Melesio "Mel" Casas (November 24, 1929 – November 30, 2014) was a Chicano artist, activist, writer and teacher. But it's taken me years to convince his family and local institutions to have this show," said Cordova, who is working on a book about Casas. After several paintings of people in movie theaters, Casas arrived at an eight-by-six-foot format proportionately similar to a movie screen. The 153 paintings that San Antonio-based artist Mel Casas calls Humanscapes were inspired by a glimpse of a drive-in movie screen. Unlike many newspapers, ours is free â and we'd like to keep it that way, because we believe, now more than ever, everyone deserves access to accurate, independent coverage of their community. Humanscape 45.jpg. The Smithsonian American Art Museum is proud to own paintings by artist, including Humanscape 62, which was featured in our exhibition Our America: The Latino Presence in American Art.In this blog post, Curator for Latino Art E. Carmen Ramos reflects on the importance of Casas' art. This painting, which comes from a larger series of works called “Humanscapes,” were actually inspired by Casas’ experience seeing a drive-in movie screen and seeing these huge images of … (182.9 × 243.8 cm) Credit Line Bequest of Robert H. Wilson, Jr. He used visual statements, his sense of humor and love of puns to "address cultural stereotypes." For more information, go to www.tamusa-ecac.com. Dimensions 72 × 96 in. (function() { Cart All. Mel Casas Humanscape 51 Expand Favorite. Mel Casas. He used visual statements, his sense of humor and love of puns to "address cultural stereotypes." Getting the Big Picture: Mel Casas and the Politics of the 1960s and 1970s In 2012, the Smithsonian purchased its second work by Casas, Humanscape 62 (Brownies of the Southwest). Artist Mel Casas (American, 1929–2014) Culture / Nationality American. Until very recently, Casas painted tirelessly throughout the decades. Humanscape 62, 1970, Mel Casas, Smithsonian American Art Museum . August 19, 2015
The last painting, Gazing, features a starry Texas sky. The Smithsonian American Art Museum is proud to own paintings by artist, including Humanscape 62, which was featured in our exhibition Our America: The Latino Presence in American Art.In this blog post, Curator for Latino Art E. Carmen Ramos reflects on the importance of Casas' art. Photo courtesy Mel Casas Family Trust Artists Respond at The Smithsonian. Dimensions 72 × 96 in. Humanscape - An Exhibition in Tribute to Mel Casas By Office of University Communications Tuesday, 05 26 2015. Humanscape 36.jpg. The term "Humanscape" may have come from his painting of a large female nude reclining on the screen. This painting, which comes from a larger series of works called “Humanscapes,” were actually inspired by Casas’ experience seeing a drive-in movie screen and seeing these huge images of people and things. Compartir; Recomendar... Henry Lesperance. 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