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¡Low Riders! at the Tucson Museum of Art

Tucson's car club "Sophisticated Few" joined 1,000 members and guests for the opening of three new exhibitions at the Tucson Museum of Art on February 26, 2010. (If you haven't been to the museum, it's not just for "elite" art lovers! Check out the events on its website.)

Low riders aren't always "low". The owners can customize them to raise any or all of the car's corners on demand.

(I guess that people in the car really need seat belts to stay in their seats. Though maybe not always... if you're driving your low rider, out on a date with a shy girlfriend, and you want to get closer, just push a button...)

I used to do event photography for the museum. I can't put photos from inside the galleries on this website (for that, see the museum website and its Facebook page... here are some of my photos of tonight's event). But I can share photos from outside. Here's some of the scene.


Red low-rider Chevy and David Tineo mural, Tucson Museum of Art plaza

Red low-rider Chevy and David Tineo mural, Tucson Museum of Art plaza

Man photographs engine of low-rider Chevy, Tucson Museum of Art plaza

Red low-rider Chevy and David Tineo mural, Tucson Museum of Art plaza

That mural behind the Chevy is "Raices" by David Tineo, a Tucson muralist whose retrospective opened tonight in the gallery on the other side of that wall.

By the way, the mural has been here since the 1990s. It wasn't supposed to be permanent, but visitors love it.


The courtyard was filled with car club members in their club's t-shirts, art lovers from Tucson and "snowbird" winter visitors... and cars:

Low-rider cars in the plaza, Tucson Museum of Art

The car in the background below has art on the hood. This one has art on the trunk lid... and on the doors, too:

Low-rider cars in the plaza, Tucson Museum of Art


Low-rider car outside the Tucson Museum of Art

It's not an auto showroom. That's the museum lobby behind and the car outside.


By the east side entrance, Harley-Davidson motorcycles...

Harley-Davidson motorcycles outside Tucson Museum of Art

Harley-Davidson motorcycles outside Tucson Museum of Art

...and, back in the courtyard after dark, this small bike, all dressed up (and lighted up):

Harley-Davidson motorcycles outside Tucson Museum of Art

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(These photographs are Copyright © 2010 by Jerry Peek. Much higher-resolution versions of most images, and many other images too, are available at Jerry Peek Photography. Photos are available at reduced prices, or free, for non-commercial use.)

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