"El Hombre de Oro" (2005) – gouache paint
This painting was inspired by a famous photograph taken in April of 1966 by photographer George Ballis. It shows civil rights leader César Chávez leading a group of strikers on a historic 250-mile march from Delano to the California State Capitol in Sacramento, to draw national attention to the plight of the farmworkers. The pilgrimage began on March 17 and ended on April 11, 1966 – Easter Sunday.
In El Hombre de Oro, I used various shades of red to symbolize the revolutionary power created when the people are united for "La Causa." Red is also the primary color of the United Farm Workers (UFW) union flag. Standing out from the crowd, painted in various shades of gold, is César Chávez. He was the guiding light; the driving force; the spark of the Farmworker and the Chicano Movement. Chávez is – and always will be – the "man of gold."
In El Hombre de Oro, I used various shades of red to symbolize the revolutionary power created when the people are united for "La Causa." Red is also the primary color of the United Farm Workers (UFW) union flag. Standing out from the crowd, painted in various shades of gold, is César Chávez. He was the guiding light; the driving force; the spark of the Farmworker and the Chicano Movement. Chávez is – and always will be – the "man of gold."