“Lowriding is multigenerational, with its culture creating “space for the family to celebrate community, to celebrate the culture, to celebrate cultural pride - pride of being Chicano.”
CALL FOR CARS - Low & Slow: Chicano Lowrider Cars as Living Art
Being held in conjunction with the Chicano Art Exhibition
Curated by: Junanne Peck & Ariel Esquivel
Hosted by: Gallerist Andrea Lamarsaude outside Art on Main
Date Saturday, April 18 | time to be determined
Please contact Junanne Peck at junannepeck@mac.com or 214-336-8526 if you are interested in learning more about participating.
This exhibition presents authentic Chicano lowrider cars as living works of art, displayed outdoors in a setting that reflects their public, community-centered nature.
Bajito y suavecito, or “low and slow,” describes a lowrider—both a customized vehicle and a way of life. These cars reflect their owner’s style and identity. They also evoke a history of community empowerment and are symbolic of Chicana/o identity. It’s about pride in the ride.
Lowrider culture developed within Mexican American communities as a form of cultural expression, self-determination, and creative excellence. Shaped by history, place, and lived experience, lowriders transform the automobile into a site of artistry, identity, and personal narrative. These cars are not static objects; they are functional, mobile, and relational—activated through gathering, cruising, and shared presence.
Each vehicle on view represents years of skill, labor, and intention. Layered paint finishes, hand-pulled pinstriping, airbrushed imagery, and meticulously crafted interiors reflect deep knowledge of technique as well as personal and cultural meaning. Spiritual references, family histories, neighborhood stories, and symbolic imagery are embedded throughout the work, making each car both visually striking and deeply individual.
The phrase low and slow describes both an aesthetic approach and a way of moving through the world. Cruising at an unhurried pace asserts visibility, care, and agency—inviting attention on one’s own terms. In this way, lowrider cars operate at the intersection of art, design, performance, and social practice, where meaning emerges through use and interaction rather than isolation.
Presenting these works outdoors acknowledges the environments in which lowrider culture is most often experienced—public, social, and communal spaces—while inviting viewers to engage thoughtfully and respectfully. The exhibition does not seek to relocate or redefine lowrider culture, but rather to create space for its presence, complexity, and artistry to be recognized and encountered.
“Low & Slow” honors lowrider builders and owners as artists and cultural stewards whose work carries forward traditions of creativity, resilience, and care. By slowing down and looking closely, viewers are invited to consider how art lives beyond institutional walls—within communities, relationships, and everyday acts of making.