American Book Awards
2 appearances
-
Edition 13 (1992) Winner
-
Edition 30 (2009) Winner
José Antonio Burciaga
ホセ・アントニオ・ブルシアガ
Jose Antonio Burciaga
Pen Names:
Tony Burciaga（Familiar nickname used by friends, colleagues and in some writings）
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1940-08-23 （El Paso, Texas, United States）
- Died
- 1996-10-07 age 56
- Nationality
- American
- Languages
- English, Spanish
- Residence History
- El Paso (birthplace) → Mineral Wells, Texas → Washington, D.C. → San Francisco Bay Area (Mission District, San Francisco) → Stanford / Palo Alto (resident at Casa Zapata)
Career
- Occupations
- muralist, artist, poet, writer, columnist, performer
- Active Years
- 1960-1996
- Affiliations
- Galería de la Raza (associated), Culture Clash (founding member), Casa Zapata (resident fellow)
- Influenced By
- Federico García Lorca, Writers of the Chicano movement (influential tendency)
- Influenced
- Chicano/Latino writers and activists influenced by his bilingual essays and murals
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Texas at El Paso | College of Fine Arts | Fine Arts | B.A. (Fine Arts) | 1964–1968 | United States |
University of Texas at El Paso
College of Fine Arts
/ Fine Arts
Degree:
B.A. (Fine Arts)
Period:
1964–1968
Year of Graduation:
1968
Country:
United States
Earned B.A. in Fine Arts after completing military service
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | American Book Award | Undocumented Love / Amor Indocumentado | — | Before Columbus Foundation | 受賞 |
| 1995 | Hispanic Heritage Award for Literature | — | — | Hispanic Heritage Foundation | 受賞 |
American Book Award
1992
Work:
Undocumented Love / Amor Indocumentado
Organization:
Before Columbus Foundation
Result:
受賞
Hispanic Heritage Award for Literature
1995
Organization:
Hispanic Heritage Foundation
Result:
受賞
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Restless Serpents
1976 PoetryA 1970s collection of poems combining irony and social criticism.
identitysocial criticismpolitics
WEEDEE PEEPO: A Collection of Essays
1988 EssaysA bilingual collection of witty essays satirizing Chicano culture and everyday life.
humorChicano culturebilingualism
Undocumented Love / Amor Indocumentado
1992 PoetryA collection of poems on immigration, identity and love. Winner of the 1992 American Book Award.
immigrationidentitylove
Drink Cultura
1993 Essays/Cultural CriticismA collection of essays addressing Chicano culture and social issues with humor and critique.
cultural criticismChicano experiencehumor
Spilling the Beans: Loteria Chicana
1995 Essays/ColumnsA late-career collection of essays on Chicano society and everyday life.
social justiceidentityhumor
Bibliography
- RESTLESS SERPENTS (1976)
- Rio Grande, Rio Bravo (1978)
- Drink Cultura (1979 / 1993 editions)
- Españotli Titlan Englishic (1980)
- WEEDEE PEEPO: A Collection of Essays (1988)
- Undocumented Love / Amor Indocumentado (1992)
- DRINK CULTURA: Chicanismo (1993)
- SPILLING THE BEANS: Loteria Chicana (1995)
- IN FEW WORDS / EN POCAS PALABRAS (1997, posthumous)
Adaptations
- The Last Supper of Chicano Heroes (mural at Casa Zapata)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- bilingual style blending English and Spanishsatirical, witty voiceessays and poems incorporating socio-political critique
- Recurring Motifs
- Chicano identityimmigration and borderscultural hybridity (mestizaje)social critique through humor
Health
-
cancer1994–1996Underwent treatment and experienced a period of remission in 1995, continued working but died in 1996; the illness affected his writing and public appearances.
Legacy
Burciaga, as a muralist, poet and essayist, depicted the boundaries of Chicano culture and American society with humor and incisive critique, influencing many Latino writers and activists. Notable works include his poetry and essays and the Casa Zapata mural. His papers are housed at Stanford University Libraries.
Archives
- Stanford University Libraries (Jose Antonio Burciaga Papers)
In Popular Culture
- Influenced Latino comedy and performance through founding member role in Culture Clash
- The Last Supper of Chicano Heroes mural at Casa Zapata symbolizes student culture and collaborative mural tradition
Quotes
-
His poetry is powered by an incisive sense of irony with the purpose of criticizing set or ignored truths.
Source: Francisco Lomelí and Donaldo Urioste (review in De Colores, 1977) (1977)
Trivia
- Known by the nickname "Tony."
- Was a founding member of the Latino comedy troupe Culture Clash in 1984.
- Famous for the mural 'The Last Supper of Chicano Heroes' in the Casa Zapata dining hall.
- Posthumous compilations and collections of his work have been published.