Cheech Marin's Vision and Personal Chicano Art Collection Debuts at the de Young Museum in the Herbst Exhibition Galleries

May 1, 2006

22 July 2006–22 October 2006

Presented by Target and sponsored by Hewlett-Packard, Chicano Makes Its Way to San Francisco in Its Final West Coast Visit

SAN FRANCISCO (May 2006)—Chicano, an unprecedented visual and interactive art exhibition, presented by Target, sponsored by Hewlett-Packard Company and produced by Evergreen Exhibitions (formerly Clear Channel Exhibitions), will open to the public at the de Young museum in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park on 22 July 2006.

Inspired by actor Cheech Marin's vision to highlight expressions of his native Mexican-American culture, Chicano has traveled throughout the country on a national tour through major cities. It is collectively made up of two major exhibitions: Chicano Visions: American Painters on the Verge, a vibrant art exhibition that presents the works of a wide range of the country's leading Chicano artists and Chicano Now: American Expressions, a 5,000-square-foot interactive multimedia exhibition for families. A third exhibition component has been added to this opening, created by the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco's curator Dr. Daniell Cornell, in collaboration with Chicano/a artists working with San Francisco's Mission Cultural Center. Chicano Encounters: Local Places & Global Communities, a 2,500-square-foot exhibition, features a selection of prints and posters that places Chicano in a global as well as a local San Francisco context.

Chicano first opened in November 2001 in San Antonio, Texas and has traveled through various cities in the United States, including Washington, D.C., Albuquerque, N.M., El Paso, Tex., Indianapolis, Ind., San Diego, Calif., Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minn., Chicago, Ill., Houston, Tex., and most recently St. Louis, Mo.

"Given the significant influence of Chicano artists locally, Chicano is a particularly relevant exhibition for the San Francisco Bay Area," said John E. Buchanan, director of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. "As the final West Coast venue for this exhibition, we are excited to be able to highlight these works, both within a global and community-based context."

Chicano not only captures the essence of the Chicano experience, but allows the public to see the world from a different perspective. "The art work presents our interpretation of the Mexican-American experience to American audiences in diverse parts of the nation and helps bring the term Chicano to the forefront of the art world," said Marin. "When you view the art and understand the many interpretations, whether social or political and even religious, you see a 360-degree view of the Chicano experience."

Chicano Visions: American Painters on the Verge showcases a wide variety of Chicano visual art. Curated by René Yañez, the exhibition features works by artists such as Ester Hernandez, Carmen Lomas Garza, Carlos Almaraz, Frank Romero, Gronk, Patssi Valdez, George Yépez, Rupert García, Leo Limón, Margaret García and Eloy Torrez. The works, which present images of urban life and the Chicano experience, date between 1969 and 2003. While the majority of the works are drawn from the personal art collection of Cheech Marin, some are on loan from other collectors and institutions.

Chicano Now: American Expressions is an interactive multi-media exhibition that offers expressions of Chicano cultural style through the eyes of the nation's premiere Chicano performing and independent film artists including Bay Area favorites Culture Clash, Guillermo Gómez-Peña, Lourdes Portillo, and Gustavo Vazquez. Chicano Now aims to spotlight Chicano culture through the main themes of work, family, style and identity. Visitors to Chicano Now can select a song on the jukebox, try salsa dancing, get behind the wheel of a lowrider and learn more about the many contributions Chicanos have made to society.

Chicano Encounters: Local Places & Global Communities supplements the visual emphasis in Chicano Visions: American Painters on the Verge, by giving special attention to the contributions of Chicano/a artists working with San Francisco's Mission Cultural Center. The exhibition features prints and posters that address issues of political and social struggles within a global context, issues of identity, and the culture within San Francisco's Mission District.

"Target values the spirit of Chicano art and is proud to support the work of these vibrant artists that help us gain a better understanding of diverse points of views, an appreciation of different cultures and traditions," said Laysha Ward, vice president, community relations, Target. "It is through the support of this exhibit and our work around the arts, especially in the Bay Area, that we strive to give back to the communities we serve."

"The social, cultural and political impact of Chicano life has been a mainstay in America since the birth of our country, and this wonderful exhibit provides a real up-close look at the lives and contributions of Chicanos," said Jeff Blough, consumer marketing communications manager for HP's Imaging and Printing Group. "HP is delighted to play a role in helping the public celebrate a slice of American life."

Chicano will be on display in the de Young's Herbst Exhibition Galleries 22 July–22 October 2006. For more information on Chicano, please visit www.chicano-art-life.com.

About the de Young
Founded in 1895 in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park, the de Young museum has been an integral part of the cultural fabric of the city and a cherished destination for millions of residents and visitors to the region for over one hundred years. In October 2005, the de Young museum re-opened in a new facility designed by the Swiss architecture firm Herzog & de Meuron and Fong & Chan Architects in San Francisco. The new de Young provides San Francisco with a landmark art museum to showcase the museum's significant collections of American art from the seventeenth through the twentieth centuries, modern and contemporary art, photography, art from Central and South America, the Pacific and Africa, as well as an important and diverse collection of textiles.

About Target
Minneapolis-based Target serves guests at 1,418 stores in forty-seven states nationwide by delivering today's best retail trends at affordable prices. Target is committed to providing guests with great design through innovative products, in-store experiences and community partnerships. Whether visiting a Target store or shopping online at Target.com, guests enjoy a fun and convenient shopping experience with access to thousands of unique and highly differentiated items. Target (NYSE:TGT) gives back more than $2 million a week to its local communities through grants and special programs. Since opening its first store in 1962, Target has partnered with nonprofit organizations, guests and team members to help meet community needs.

About Hewlett-Packard Company
HP is a technology solutions provider to consumers, businesses and institutions globally. The company's offerings span IT infrastructure, global services, business and home computing, and imaging and printing. For the four fiscal quarters ended April 30, 2005, HP revenue totaled $83.3 billion. More information about HP (NYSE, Nasdaq: HPQ) is available at www.hp.com.

About Evergreen Exhibitions (formerly Clear Channel Exhibitions)
Evergreen Exhibitions is based in San Antonio, Texas. Evergreen is a world leader in providing high quality, state-of-the-art educational family experiences, and produces exhibits in collaboration with more than two hundred leading museums and research institutions.