How a 1970s Chicano art group defied the mainstream and made history

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Documentary Film “ASCO: Without Permission” Examines Legacy of Influential Chicano Art Group

LOS ANGELES — Filmmaker Travis Gutiérrez Senger, reflecting on the enduring legacy of ASCO, emphasizes that the collective was more than just an art group; they ignited a cultural movement that profoundly shaped Chicano art history. Their innovative and defiant spirit continues to resonate within the contemporary art world.

“That movement perseveres today, maintaining a broad reach,” Senger stated. “Numerous books, films, and scholarly works will undoubtedly explore ASCO in the years to come. This documentary serves as our contribution to that ongoing dialogue.”

“ASCO: Without Permission”: Chronicling Artistic Defiance

He is referencing “ASCO: Without Permission,” a compelling documentary that recounts the history of the groundbreaking 1970s art group. Founded by visionary multidisciplinary artist Patssi Valdez, renowned muralist Willie Herrón III, celebrated painter and performance artist Gronk, and insightful writer and photographer Harry Gamboa Jr., ASCO emerged from youthful camaraderie and shared artistic vision. The name itself, “asco,” translating to “nausea” or “disgust” in Spanish, was adopted after an early, self-organized exhibition, encapsulating their confrontational approach. Their conceptually rich and provocative performance art directly addressed the exclusion of Chicanos from the established art scene and the pervasive issue of systemic police violence endured by the Mexican American community in East Los Angeles.

From Marginalization to Museum Recognition

All four founding members of ASCO later achieved prominence as significant Chicano artists, with their works displayed in esteemed museums across the United States. However, in their formative years, mainstream galleries and museums systematically denied them access. Undeterred, they ingeniously forged their own pathways to exhibit their art and express their perspectives, utilizing public performances, impactful murals, and various other innovative forms of artistic expression.

“To act rebelliously is the most ethical course of action,” asserted executive producer Gael García Bernal at the film’s debut at the South by Southwest film festival earlier this month. “You are constructing identity, questioning norms, and exposing the artificiality and deception that exists.”

Production and Distribution

Bernal and Diego Luna served as executive producers through their production company, El Corriente del Golfo. Currently, the film is seeking distribution.

Founding Members Laud Documentary’s Approach

In discussions with The Associated Press, Gamboa and Valdez commended Gutiérrez Senger’s portrayal of their collective history. Both artists, featured prominently in the documentary, experienced the film for the first time alongside enthusiastic audiences and emerging young Chicano artists who draw inspiration from ASCO’s early acts of rebellion.

“I felt the film genuinely captured the core of our collaborative spirit,” Gamboa reflected.

Valdez emphasized the significance of receiving equitable representation in the narrative, particularly as the sole woman among the founding members.

“For the first time, I was given an equal voice within the group dynamic, which had not occurred in previous accounts,” Valdez noted, referencing how previous narratives often prioritized her male counterparts.

ASCO and the Chicano Civil Rights Movement

ASCO emerged during the peak of the Chicano civil rights movement in the 1960s and 1970s. This era was marked by heightened political and racial tensions, encompassing pivotal events such as the East LA walkouts protesting educational disparities, and the Chicano Moratorium, an anti-Vietnam War movement tragically marred by police brutality against Mexican Americans.

In response to pervasive systemic injustice within their communities, Latino artists established muralist groups and collectives as powerful modes of creative and political expression.

“Art became the response to such violence,” explained Gamboa Jr. His aim was to challenge and reshape prevailing mainstream perceptions of Chicanos, highlighting the diverse possibilities and innovative avenues individuals could create despite societal limitations.

For Valdez, her position as the only woman exposed her to compounded layers of societal racism and ingrained sexism within traditional Latino households, where young women were often expected to remain silent and submissive.

“I vehemently resisted this. Consequently, I channeled these experiences of censorship into ASCO’s performance work,” Valdez recounted. One notable piece, “Instant Mural,” involved taping herself to a public wall, serving as a potent metaphor for feelings of confinement and restriction.

Iconic Works: “Spray Paint LACMA” and Social Commentary

One of ASCO’s most renowned pieces is “Spray Paint LACMA.” Gamboa, Gronk, and Herrón spray-painted their names onto the Los Angeles County Museum of Art after a curator reportedly told Gamboa, “Chicanos are associated with gangs, not art.”

“There was a prevailing sentiment in another era that ‘Latinx art doesn’t exist. It’s not a legitimate category. It’s not part of American art,’” explained Pilar Tompkins-Rivas, chief curator and deputy director of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art.

ASCO’s neighborhood-based performance art frequently attracted attention, often drawing onlookers and even spontaneous crowds. In “Station of the Cross,” the group members carried a large cross to the local military recruiting office as a form of protest against the Vietnam War.

In 1974, Gamboa captured an image of Gronk posed as a victim of gang violence, intending to critique the media’s sensationalized coverage of crime in East Los Angeles. According to Gamboa in the documentary, a local news station mistakenly broadcast the staged photograph as an actual news report.

Retrospective Recognition and Lasting Impact

For a considerable period, ASCO’s collective work remained largely unacknowledged by the mainstream art world. It wasn’t until 2011 that LACMA presented “ASCO: Elite of the Obscure, A Retrospective, 1972-1987,” the first comprehensive retrospective showcasing the group’s pioneering performance and conceptual art. Among the exhibited works was Gamboa’s photograph of Valdez standing defiantly above their graffiti art. This event marked a significant full-circle moment for ASCO, signifying a shift in institutional recognition.

“Latino history has consistently been overlooked,” stated Gutiérrez Senger. “ ‘ASCO: Without Permission’ portrays the story of winning a crucial battle, but the broader struggle continues.”

A 1974 photograph of Valdez showcases the artist in glamorous attire, holding a golden cobra statue, commemorating her fictional “Best Actress” award from the Aztlan No Movie Awards—a satirical awards show ASCO created to critique the underrepresentation of Latinos in Hollywood.

The group drew inspiration from Hollywood cinema and popular culture but were acutely aware of the limited opportunities available to them in mainstream studio films, often confined to stereotypical roles such as maids, cartel leaders, or gang members.

“Hollywood movies, rock ’n’ roll – that was my world,” Valdez affirmed. “And that’s what fueled my artistic responses.”

Gamboa photographed Herrón, Gronk, and Valdez utilizing cinema stock to capture the essence of their favorite films. This series, titled “No Movies,” served as the initial inspiration for their parodic award show.

Honoring ASCO’s DIY Ethos

Gutiérrez Senger was deeply intrigued by ASCO’s innovative approach and pays tribute to it throughout the documentary. He incorporates short films featuring a new generation of young Chicano artists, including Los Angeles-based artists like Fabi Reyna and San Cha, directly inspired by ASCO’s signature DIY aesthetic and artistic philosophy.

“I believe it’s an essential responsibility for Latino filmmakers to vigorously advocate for the representation of brown individuals both on screen and behind the camera, and to create films that explore our rich history,” Gutiérrez Senger emphasized. “Our stories are abundant, and our history is profound.”

“ASCO: Without Permission” features insightful testimonials from respected Latino artists, including actor Michael Peña and comedian Arturo Castro, who have achieved mainstream success and recognize the critical importance of preserving cultural history.

“Our history as Latinos is absent from mainstream history books. The significant movements we’ve initiated are not included in conventional historical narratives,” Peña observes in the documentary.

Despite the often-perceived slow pace of progress, Valdez stresses the ongoing need for artists to voice their perspectives and to “defy expectations and operate without seeking external validation.”

“You do not require permission to be authentic. You do not require permission to be creative. You do not require permission to be intellectual,” Gamboa concluded. “Crucially, you must resist allowing yourself to be suppressed, silenced, or visually restricted from presenting your work to the world.”

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