Press Release: Pluma Fronteriza

The Legacy of Luis Jimenez, Sculptor of San Jacinto Plaza's Los Lagartos

El Paso, Texas – The El Paso County Chicano(a) History Project will a screen a two-part interview conducted in 1997 by Miguel Juárez with acclaimed sculptor Luis Jiménez Jr. The screening will be from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, July 9, 2011, in the auditorium at the El Paso Public Library Main Branch, in Downtown El Paso. The screening is part of the “Keep Los Lagartos in San Jacinto Plaza” Campaign.

At the time of Jiménez ' death in 2006, Stuart Ashman, Secretary of the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs, said that Jiménez was considered "the most important Chicano artist in the United States…[who] made great contributions to contemporary art in America."  Jiménez’s father was trained by Francisco “Frisco” Gutierrez, Artist-in-Residence at the Plaza Theater for over 35 years. In the “who's who” of sculptors in the United States, Jiménez gained international fame in his lifetime. Institutions such as the Smithsonian and universities across the nation currently display Jiménez' sculptures.

Current plans to redesign San Jacinto Plaza propose removing the “Los Lagartos” sculpture, a statue that was a site-specific commission by the City of El Paso and that has become synonymous with San Jacinto Plaza or “Plaza de los Lagartos” as it is known by the Latino community. Sculptures by Chicano artists are rarely displayed, not only in the United States, but as well as in El Paso. Removing “Los Lagartos” from San Jacinto Plaza would give the message that the City of El Paso does not view Chicano art as first rate and that it does not recognize the contributions of its largely Latino community.

The July 9^th screening is from the series: "Frontera Artists: Mexican and Chicano Artists in El Paso," which originally aired from 1997-2005 on EPCC-TV. The series was 19-part program that aired close to 600 times on KCOS-TV Channel 13 (PBS) and/or on Cable Channel 14 since its creation in 1997. The show was co-produced by Miguel Juárez (also the host) and Gabriel Gaytan.

The screening is co-sponsored by the Friends of the El Paso Public Library (Main)

###

The El Paso County Chicano(a) History Project is a new initiative whose mission is to collect, rediscover, revise, and preserve and promote El Paso's County's Chicano(a) historical legacy. To learn more about the El Paso County Chicano(a) History Project call (915) 258-0989 or emaileditor@plumafronteriza.com