Its just a few days before Good Friday as I drive slowly down a narrow road that leads to La Cuchilla Plaza in Chimay. Not far from the plazas adobe capilla, I find my way to Rays Hydraulics, a two-bay garage in the shade of gnarled old cottonwood trees. As I pull into the yard filled with an assortment of vehicles awaiting repair, I notice a mural on the garages exterior wall. In bright colours and rough brushstrokes it depicts two 1964 Chevy Impalas in front of the Santuario de Chimay, a two-hundred-year-old church situated just a couple of miles down the road. Thats part of who we are, a voice declares as I study the painting. They introduce themselves as Epimenio Eppie Martnez and Ernie Lpez. Eppie continues, How could it not be? Look where we are, man -- were in the Holy Land! -- Don J UsnerLowriding is a beloved cultural tradition in New, especially the northern communities and villages including Espanola -- also known as the lowrider capital of the world -- Chimay, Truchas, and Velarde to name a few. The classic car fixed up for shows and cruising has become a symbol of Hispano and community pride for the car aficionados, artists, and mechanics whose lives are immersed in the culture.
They flaunt their cars in public -- locals and tourists admire classic lines, upholstered interiors, and shiny chrome hubcaps when they pass by. It is not surprising they captured the eye of other artists, photographers who have documented the beauty and uniqueness of this art form. Thanks to them, we have a wonderful 40-year record of the cars and their makers as well as their homeland. Photographs by New Mexicos most renowned documentarians such as Alex Harris, Jack Parsons, Miguel Gandert, Annie Sahlin, Meridel Rubenstein, Don J Usner,and Siegfried Halus are included alongside photographers newer on the scene, creating a fascinating compilation of lowriders over time. From the magnificent views of New Mexicos gorgeous landscape through the interior of a lowrider by Alex Harris, to Jack Parsons iconic lowrider images that were published in the classic MNM Press book, Low n slow: Lowriding in New Mexico, to Miguel Gandert and Don Usners cultural take on lowriders and their communities, we are able to look back at an enduring but evolving tradition. Today, we see fewer lowriders cruising the streets. Car clubs have emerged with garages specialising in hydraulics and high end paint jobs, elevating the art to new levels. Yet, there remains a handful of lowrider artists -- muralists who incorporate religious iconography and community in their artworks on wheels.
In the introductory essay, Don J Usner provides an insightful overview of lowriding in New Mexico, how it evolved, the culture, and the car makers themselves who are also known as lowriders. In his intimate interviews with lowriders, he records in their own words what lowriding means to them as they mourn lost friends and family -- icons in the community -- and discuss generational shifts and trends. Photography curator Katherine Ware interviews Meridel Rubenstein, whose body of lowrider work was first exhibited at the New Mexico Museum of Art (then the Museum of Fine Arts) in 1980. The renowned photographers pioneering work in the community first brought recognition and status to the lowriders as an art form and introducing it to wider audiences. Enjoy the ride that is rale! Lowrider: Custom Made in New Mexico. Take your time thumbing through the photos, admiring the cars and places, and getting to know the amazing individuals who call themselves New Mexico lowriders.