Tag Archives: art

Coachella Car Painting

Nationality: American
Age: 22
Occupation: Student
Residence: Los Angeles, USC
Performance Date: April 2012
Primary Language: English

The Coachella Valley Music Festival attracts increasing crowds every year, in fact this year was the first the festival had to be recreated a second weekend to meet demand (and still sold out). The popularity of the festival encourages participation in many ritualized customs pertaining to the experience of Coachella.

One Coachella-specific ritual is the painting of cars that are going to be driven to Coachella. The ritual is so popular that the organizers and promoters themselves have recognized it as an iconic part of the festival experience. They host a “Carpoolchella” contest which rewards those who participate in painting their cars for Coachella, and their website hosts a gallery of car paintings.

One frequent Coachella-goer explains the ritual:

“Basically the main reason people do that now is competition. But people did it before, and of course not everyone even has a shot of winning so some people still just to do it as a big part of their trip.

It also represent where you came from. A lot of people are from out of state and they paint their cars to show how far they’ve driven just for Coachella. Like, carpoolchella-OHIO or something. I’ve seen a big giant New Mexico flag as the background for the Coachella landscape.

There’s people who go all out for this because they really associate it with their trip and getting to Coachella. Like sure you might win passes for life – but probably not. Some people just have always done it so they’re going to do it every year. It’s part of the checklist: stuff to survive the heat, survive the cold, drugs, food, first aid, car gear…car paint.”

 

This ritual first of all represents an establishment of Coachella culture. As the festival explodes in popularity festival goers want to show that they are a legitimate part of the festival experience. Those who have a longer tradition of going to the festival often have a traditional aspect to their car painting through which they can proclaim their veteran status. Those who are new to the festival want to make sure their experience is complete by enacting rituals.

There is also a slight superstition, especially for those who have made a habit out of car painting. Car painting becomes a necessary step in preparing for the festival, which if ignored could have as disastrous results as forgetting any other basic necessity. Since there is no necessity that car painting explicitly fulfills it can be seen as a sign of protection, especially for those who make longer roadtrips.

Folk Art

Nationality: Black
Age: 20
Occupation: Student
Residence: Las Vegas, NV
Performance Date: April 28, 2008
Primary Language: English

“There are visual images and symbols of the Alpha. There’s a lot of ape stuff, and a lot of Egyptian stuff.”

Subject’s Analysis:

“There’s Egyptian symbolism for (pause) once again, undisclosed reasons. I learned it during initiation, from people who were already in the organization. It’s usually seen on banners and t-shirts and such. It could be on almost anything that has the Alpha Phi Alpha brand name on it. Some of the symbols are for informal purposes, on the collegiate side of things. I think that its fun to be able to identify with different personas or symbols. It’s like a mascot, you know? You embrace it as an image of your organization.”

Collector’s Analysis:

There are a lot of things that the Alpha Phi Alpha symbols are place on. The symbols include an ape, or at times some Egyptian symbols as Jeremiah suggested. However, what is important about the different Alpha Representations is the fact that there are divisions between their professional representations, and their interpersonal/collegiate items. Their collegiate things are worn at get-togethers and during everyday use. The other Alpha symbols are used to symbolize the organization in a more professional and discreet manner.  Directly, below I have shown some representations of the different symbols. Each of the images below is a patch to be worn on clothing. These would be worn on fraternity jackets or other apparel. Many of the Alpha symbols also incorporate the number 1906,which was the year the organization was founded.

PersonalBuy.com. Blackcollegestuff.com. Mar. 2008. 30 Apr. 2008
<http://personalbuy.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/alpha_patches.html>.

Folk Art – Ukrainian

Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: San Marino, CA
Performance Date: April 28, 2008
Primary Language: English

Folk Objects – Pysanky (Ukrainian Easter Eggs)

Image URL: http://www.cs.unc.edu/~yakowenk/pysanky.html

These decorative eggs shown above are called pysanky. Percy learned about this gorgeous form of folk art from his father, who is from Ibano–Franchesik, Ukraine. These eggs are typically decorated with beeswax and dyes. During Easter, most Ukrainian households made these eggs as gifts for their family and friends. Percy said that he has a couple of these lying around in his house from past Easter celebrations. However, he has never personally made one before. When he asked his father about the pysanky, he learned that the symbols and colors used hold many deep meanings. Many pre-date the arrival of Christianity, and have had Christian interpretations layered on after Christianity was established.

He also learned that there were some superstitions and myths attached to the colors and designs of the pysanky. His father said that it is wise to give darker colored pysanky with lots of designs to older people, for they have lived most of their life already. Also, it is appropriate to give young people a plain white pysanky with no designs as a symbol of their youth and possibilities for the future. Percy also recalls his father telling him that girls should never give their boyfriends pysanky with no design on the top and bottom of the egg, for that would indicate that the boyfriends would start going bald someday. This was particularly a fond memory for Percy because Percy has a three-year-old sister, and it was hilarious warning her about her future boyfriend at such a young age. He said that he loves the fact that his house is filled with some aspects of the Peruvian culture from his mother’s side and some aspects of the Ukrainian culture from his father’s side. When asked how he feels about the pysanky, he stated that he thinks they are a beautiful form of art that he hopes to learn how to make someday. He hopes to be able to preserve this Ukrainian tradition by teaching his future children how to make these eggs.

I believe it is vital for all Ukrainian-Americans, especially of the present generation, to be familiar with such traditional objects, for it illustrates a huge aspect of the Ukrainian culture. It is crucial that these beautiful traditions stay preserved and that people are serious about passing the knowledge on to future generations. It provides a window into the importance of aesthetics in the Ukrainian culture, and allows one to experience the hospitality and generosity of the Ukrainian households as they go around each Easter, presenting these works of art as gifts to their loved ones.[1]

[1] Annotation: This folk object is also mentioned in American Folklore: An Encyclopedia, under the section “Ukrainian Americans.”

Brunvand, Jan H., ed. “Ukrainian Americans.” American Folklore: An Encyclopedia. New York: Garland, Inc., 1996. 724.