You probably know Cheech Marin as one half of pot humor trailblazers Cheech and Chong, but did you also know that he is a serious art patron? Marin possesses one of the largest collections of Chicano art in the U.S. and has been on a mission to increase the visibility of Mexican American artists in the art world for years. Last week, Marin came one step closer to realizing his vision when the city of Riverside finally approved plans to open The Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art, Culture, and Industry in the former city library building.
"This is exciting because American art museums have not been collecting art in this area at all," says Arlene Davila, a professor of anthropology at New York University. "This is a big gap in the American art history canon, and it has to do with an essential racism. This collection helps to institutionalize an important area in American art. Museums can't just do a Frida Kahlo show and think they're done,"
via Artnet
