The Tio Collection
Subtitle
Mario Ybarra, Jr.
Mario Ybarra Jr.'s historical and autobiographical work looks into the various elements that make up his personality and influences, including style, time periods (80s and 90s), family, geography (Southern California) and culture (Chicano and Mexican). Focusing on his life and that of his family, the exhibition shows as a single, large-scale installation, mimicking the display of art and objects in a historical museum. Both fictional and nonfictional in nature, the collection of toys, clothing, art and other items build an image of family, one that exists within American popular culture, that is distinctly unique, diverse, multicultural and heterogeneous. Depicting the sculpture, video, installation and painting that comprises the installation, with the addition of personal family photos and poetry about his family members, the catalog serves as a self-authored re-articulation of the American narrative. Moving away from common stereotypes and mainstream histories, Ybarra Jr.'s work, the exhibition and this publication are an attempt to document the contributions of the Chicano community and add them to the cultural and historical field of record. The catalog contains an interview between Ybarra Jr. and Miki Garcia, executive director of Santa Barbara Contemporary Arts Forum, as well as a fictional story by writer Karla Diaz, Ybarra Jr.'s wife and co-founder of the artist collective Slanguage in Wilmington, California.
Bio
Miki Garcia is a professor of practice and the director of the ASU Art Museum. Previously, she was the executive director at the Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara. Garcia holds a certificate in nonprofit management from Stanford University, a Bachelor of Arts in art history from Vassar College and a Master of Arts in art history from the University of Texas, Austin.
