FRITOS, THE GREATEST CHICANO POEM, PHOTOREALISM, TRAYVON MARTIN AND MORE.

What up Latinopians! Your Tia Tenopia is here with another week of  Latinopia videos and blogs. This week we visit with one of our most talented Chicano artists, John Valadez. Now John is not to be confused with John Valadez the filmmaker–two different Johns with the same name. Both incredibly talented people, and, yes, you’ll find both of them on Latinopia. Well, back to this week’s video. John was a pioneer of the Los Angeles Chicano art movement, painting murals throughout Highland Park and East Los Angeles. He is renowned for his unique photo-realistic style of painting which he renders in pastels as well as oils. We visited with John at his Los Angeles studio and found out all about his great work. Check it out!

Our other video this week is a revisit with Richard Montoya. As you know Richard is part of that classic comedy trio Culture Clash who have been entertaining audiences for decades. Richard is also the son of legendary poet and artist José Montoya from whom he learned of an amazing meeting between Chicano and Puerto Rican poets in New York city in 1974. Miguel Piñero, founder of the Newyorican Poets Cafe and author of the acclaimed Broadway play “Short Eyes,” asked José Montoya what, in his opinion,  was the best Chicano poem ever written. The answer, you’ll see, is quite something.  No, I’m no going to tell you, you gotta watch the video! No peeking!

Our Washington, D.C. blogger Eduardo Díaz returns this week with some thoughtful observations on the invention of “Fritos.” Yeah, the crunchy fried corn snack. The story behind Fritos and who invented this snack is fascinating and the subject of this week’s Mirándolo Bien with Eduardo Díaz.

Angela Ortiz has another  slice of life in-the-neighborhood photograph to offer us on Angela’s Photo of the Week and Sergio Hernández weighs in on the current Trayvon Martin controversy. His cartoon commentary is poignant and pesado. Don’t miss it!

Lazaro De La Tierra also returns this week with a new episode of Zombie Mex Diaries. This week its about the Aftermath to the aerial assault by the Oñate zombies. This Zombie Mex war between zombies is much more interesting than the Brad Pitt human zombie war currently waging in theaters–and has a lot more Latinos in it! But you be the judge.

So pull up your cup of java,tea, your glass of soft drink or that Merlot and curl up next to your computer and enjoy another week of Latinopia.

OOXX

Tia Tenopia