Sammy Martinez and Los Unidos: Franke Maestas and Vangie Martinez, Leroy Martinez, Rob Garcia, Delfino Martinez,and Donaldo Valdez – Española, ’68 T-Bird, ’66 Chevy Caprice, ’70 Supersport, ’56 Chevy, ’62 Chevy, ’59 Chevy
Artist
Meridel Rubenstein
(American, born 1948)
Date1980
MediumChromogenic print
DimensionsImage: 6 5/8 × 9 3/8 in. (16.8 × 23.8 cm)
Support: 14 1/4 × 17 in. (36.2 × 43.2 cm)
Support: 14 1/4 × 17 in. (36.2 × 43.2 cm)
ClassificationsPhotograph
Credit LineGift of Harvey Mudd
Object number2020.13.12
DescriptionFrom the portfolio “The Lowriders: Portraits from New Mexico”. Northern New Mexico landscape with road in foreground. Six lowriders parked in a single-file line along road with owners next to cars. Crouched next to the lead car, Sammy Martinez holds up a t-shirt with the Los Unidos car club logo. At second car, Vangie Martinez leans back against Franke Maestas. Remaining four cars have a single figure next to each of them.eMuseum Notes
Rubenstein was fairly new to New Mexico when a patron challenged her to include portraits of lowriders in her series celebrating the craftspeople of the state. At the time this picture was taken, many people saw lowriders and their clubs in a negative light and some cities banned the cars. Though initially hesitant to contact lowriders, Rubenstein quickly found common ground with them as fellow artists. Her resulting series of portraits and a 1980 exhibition of them, held on the Santa Fe Plaza, brought lowriders and their passion for customizing cars to a broader public and contributed to a slow shift in attitude toward appreciation and civic pride.
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