Introducing "When Heaven Scrapes the Pavement" -- my photo contribution to the "Desert Rider: Dreaming in Motion" exhibit opening this Sunday, July 9, 2023 at the Denver Art Museum. It's an honor to have this photo placed alongside the work of legendary Denver artists like Carlos Frésquez and Daniel Salazar.
I have been documenting the lowrider community in Denver close to a decade now. In that time, I have been fortunate to forge relationships that will last a lifetime, while also accumulating a large collection of photos. A few of my images were considered for this exhibit before we ultimately decided on this one. While many of my photos are untitled, I knew I needed one for this photo that told a story.
I wanted to bridge the gap between lowrider culture and spirituality — not that there is a huge space between those two to begin with. Being the son of two South American immigrants, I grew up in the Catholic Church, and while I ultimately abandoned all religious ideologies, I remained open to the ethereal aspects of life and to those things that keep us spiritually connected. The lowrider community, to me, is one of those elements.
Parking lots become churches on the weekends; the stories told on stained glass windows unfold similarly on candy paint and chrome; we take communion from the taquero; we say "peace be with you" through daps and hugs; we confess our sins from the night before over a cold Modelo; we two-step to hymns by Zapp & Roger. It's at the weekend kick-back or at the show and shine when heaven scrapes the pavement.
Go peep this image and much more at the Denver Art Museum, open this Sunday, July 9 through September 24.
The 1948 Chevy Fleetline (left) is owned by Joe O’Connell from Ranflitas CC, and the 1962 Chevy Impala SS (right) is owned by Brian Casias from Citywide CC.
To learn more about the owners and their vehicles, click here.