Popular Culture Review Vol. 15, No. 2 | Page 84

80 Popular Culture Review popular art is not the debate at hand) discounts the validity of his cultural background and its traditional artistic outlets. Such dismissals are unsurprising considering the inherent Eurocentrism and elitism of many evaluations of artistic merit, and may even embody the conservative sensibilities that have prevailed in the wider social system in recent years. Historically, the Homies can be seen as part of an ongoing tradition of barrio art. Barrio murals, tattoos, and street graphics painted onto “lowriders” or classic cars (lowrider art) tell a tale of urban life and provide a vehicle for ethnic pride and expression (Menard 1995; Dominguez 1996; Dunitz 1997). These forms of expression are stylistically specific and embody a distinct cultural heritage.^® The Homies figurines portray this stylistic expression and continue this heritage. A rich tradition of analysis of Chicano art forms exists. Diaz (1990) states that mural art within the Chicano community is a medium which allows authentic human representation of their cultural and ethnic heritage. This is a valuable asset because it allows cultural stories to be forged by members of the group without being marred by the interpretation of people outside the community and/or by media translations of the urban Chicano experience. Barrio art, in all its forms, allows the artistic forum and the cultural representation therein to be a collective experience rather than a definition claimed by elites. It is a form of street art with all that is good and bad that goes along with this description. As such, the Homies figurines are part of a broader system of meaning that represents a specific community fi-om the standpoint of a member. “ Just as murals allow members of the Chicano community to appreciate and connect to art within their own local communities, Gonzales’s figurines allow a typically marginalized segment of the population to take pride in their identity and their experiences in a larger artistic tradition which has been utilized for generations. Homies at Home The figurines are also part of a historic and ongoing dialogue regarding the role cultural identity plays within the interrelated spheres of the personal lives of barrio residents, the social structures they inhabit, and the intemal/extemal political pressures that influence their lives. Gonzales has been criticized by members of the dominant community about the ways in which these figurines might glorify gang life. These complaints and concerns have been primarily voiced by external constituents: parents and members of the law enforcement community. Simultaneously, Gonzales was criticized by members of the Chicano community regarding the “negative stereotypes” these figurines might perpetuate. These internal criticisms were primarily from groups that seek to promote a more positive image for Chicanos, albeit what may be a homogeneous portrayal of their identity.