“The Santo Lowride exhibit at the Harwood Art Museum and its sister exhibit, Low ‘N Slow, in Arroyo Seco both depict how Santos art and lowrider culture play a big role in Northern New Mexico culture. Combining the two forms of art is what the viewer will see in these art exhibits. Starting with the santos which have a long history in New Mexico dating back to the early 1800s. The Santos are carved religious images made by men called Santeros. Now in modern times, women have started to carve Santeros as well and they are called Santeras. Most Santeros/as have been taught this tradition from generation to generation. They are drawn to carve saints from their strong religious faith and their passion to create art. The best way to preserve tradition is to change it, this is where the contemporary Santeros come into play. The contemporary Santero has combined religious imagery with Northern New Mexico’s lowrider culture. Lowriders in New Mexico have a very long and strong history. The lowrider started in the late 1940’s in Española,New Mexico, which holds the name of ‘Lowrider Capital of the World’. These cars are modified by individuals or families by custom painting with intricate murals and applying colorful patterns using candy paint and the airbrush to lay out the murals. The lowrider is dropped by cutting the coil and then refitted with a hydraulic system so the car can be raised or lowered to the ground…’lower and slower’ is their motto. Being co-curator of this exhibit I have seen the religious icons play a big role on the lowrider being used as murals on the truck and hoods of the cars. Nowadays it’s even been taken further by the muralist painting every square inch of the lowrider car, inside and out. The ‘Low’ culture has evolved in recent years with cars being put in a class of their own and hundreds of thousands of dollars invested in the lowrider. So this lowrider collaboration showcases both worlds, the santos and the lowrider, and how they have become one.” Toby Morfin