Anno Domini presents...

"Lowrider Arcade"
an exhibit of custom made lowrider bikes by
Matthew Rodriguez & Samuel Rodriguez

Artists' Reception: First Friday, May 4, 2007
8pm ’til late • free and open to the public
Music by: DJ Cutso

Exhibit on view through June 23, 2007 AD
Gallery hours: Tues. - Fri., Noon - 7pm; Sat., Noon - 5pm

These two artists from East-side San Jose combine their metal working skills, street art aesthetics and formative years of hanging out in arcades, laundry mats, and liquor stores to create an unprecedented exhibit of custom made lowrider bikes for a new generation.

“It’s hard to articulate who we are, but I guess the same could be said about the sights and sounds in today’s hybrid-style culture. When Matthew and I were teens it was the mid and late 90’s. Everything was hot, violent, and seemed to be nicely categorized; you had skaters, stoners, cholos, breakers, taggers, etc. Amongst these, our ghetto hall passes. For Matthew, lowrider bikes, and for myself, tagging on buses, and freeways. Both lifestyles showed us something beyond our insignificant piece of the east side.

After years of doing our own thing, we have recently come together to work and have been surprised at the results. It just seems like the right thing to do, as if it has already been written somewhere. Before we had our separate categories, but now we have something indefinable, just the same as what I see out in the public (kids who look like a cross breed of a cholo, and skateboarder, etc.)

The process in making this show brings me back to arcades, laundry mats, and liquor stores. It has to be these places that are the source of our work. Where kids would get together to play Street Fighter 2, catch wreck on bus windows, go to a lowrider bike show, or watch cartoons.

The best humor or fun is that which someone takes a lot of time doing. We spent serious hours joking around, playing video games, twisting metal, painting, and now we have these funny looking characters, sitting on wheels and sleeping in the garage.”

~Samuel Rodriguez

View photos from a visit to their shop:
set 1 | set 2

View photos from "Lowrider Arcade" opening reception:
set 1 | set 2