New Mexico Museums Examine State’s Underrated Lowrider Heritage

In the past decade, the most memorable mainstream automotive stories to come out of New Mexico were about Jesse’s 1984 Toyota Tercel 4WD and Walt and Walt Jr.’s SRTs from Breaking Bad. Those, of course, were fake, but the real and lesser known car culture, which focuses on lowriders, is currently on display.

Not many people know this, but as Hemmings pointed out, MTV once named New Mexico city Española the lowrider capital of the world.  As an inherent part of the culture in New Mexico, lowriders intertwined  themselves all over the state, and two new exhibits show the roots and extensive branches: Lowriders, Hoppers, and Hot Rods: Car Culture of Northern New Mexico will be open until March of 2017 at the New Mexico History Museum while Con Cariño: Artists Inspired by Lowriders is open until October 9 of this year at the New Mexico Museum of Art.

“I’m convinced there are two kinds of people in the world,” Photo Curator Daniel Kosharek said. “Those who drive for the purpose of getting from point A to point B, mere transportation if you will; and people like me who drive cars to, well, drive cars. Two types of people, two world views. This exhibit is about the latter: People who express themselves through pride in their ride.”

The exhibits are just as much about artistry, expression, family, and community as they are about the cars. The themes and airbrushed exteriors often serve as odes to religion, family, passed relatives or friends, or simply the culture of the area.

Learn more about the exhibits at Hemmings or check ’em out, if you’re in the area.

via [Hemmings]