"In a nutshell, it is a political thing in its own way and has to do with skin color-based discrimination. I am addressing that, by playing with the idea that Chicanos come in all colors, which is very true." -César A. Martínez

His portraits rarely appear in naturalistic skin tone; this is his way of addressing racial discrimination and neutralizing it. In 1979, he wrote: “The early focus of the Chicano movement was on politics and social services. But there was another source of discontent culture. Institutionally suppressed in schools and routinely misrepresented, especially by the film industry and the advertising media, our culture was in shambles. Do you remember the Frito Bandito and the countless comical Panchos in John Wayne-mentality movies? Of political and cultural necessity, Chicano art was born. Consequently, one could not exhibit in formal places like museums and galleries. These are, after all, public institutions, but unless one was into art forms devoid of our “alien” political or cultural content, the door was slammed in our collective face. Those of us with some kind of formal education were taught that art was universal, yet our art was an exception; perhaps it was some kind of universal wetback." (César Augusto Martinez. Letter dated 2 VIII 1979).

Above text was included in a special bilingual issue of Mexico City’s Artes Visuales which focused on Chicano art in 1981. The letter was reprinted from the exhibition catalogue for Cuatro Caminos (Southwest Texas State University: San Marcos, Texas, 1979).