Melesio "Mel" Casas (November 24, 1929 – November 30, 2014) was an American artist, activist, writer and teacher who is best known for his paintings that address Chicano topics. He used visual statements, his sense of humor and love of puns to "address cultural stereotypes." His work has been collected by the San Antonio Museum of Art, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art (Bentonville, Arkansas), as well as national and international private collectors. His most important series consists of 150+ large-scale paintings called "Humanscapes" that were painted between 1965 and 1989. Casas, who served as president of the Con Safo art group, was also well known as a writer and theorist. His "Brown Paper Report" is regarded as an important Chicano document. Casas emphasized the importance of "self-determination" and equality for Chicanos/as. He is regarded as one of the foundational figures of Chicano Art. Casas felt that once artists had a fair chance to exhibit in the United States, then they would become part of "Americana."
Biography
Casas was born in El Paso, Texas to Mexican parents during the Great Depression. He grew up and lived in El Segundo Barrio. His father liked to draw and this influenced Casas to start drawing on his own. As a young man decided that he wanted to be an artist. Casas felt that he had a good education in elementary school and junior high. He attended El Paso High School which he chose in order to get a better education. At the time, there were more Anglo students at El Paso High and Casas felt alienated from the other students because of his background and heavy Mexican accent. It was Casas' first encounter with discrimination. He graduated from high school in 1948. After graduating high school, Casas worked for Pacific Fruit Express, a railroad company, as an iceman. He also helped with his father's Swedish massage business located in downtown El Paso.
Later, Casas was called into the United States Army and his father insisted it was his duty to serve. Casas served in the Korean War from 1950 to 1953, where he was injured and subsequently returned to the United States. Casas was awarded a Purple Heart for bravery in the war.
Casas went to college using the G.I. Bill. First, he started to study psychology, due to practical considerations, but later changed to art and teaching. In college, he had a very strong background in classical art theory, drawing and painting. He received a BA in 1956 from Texas Western College (now the University of Texas at El Paso). Casas then received a MFA from the University of the Americas in Mexico City in 1958.
Casas received an all-level certificate to teach in Texas. He was considered by his students to be a "generous" teacher, helping to launch many young art careers. Casas taught art at Jefferson High School in El Paso, Texas for about three years. One of his students was Gaspar Enriquez.
Casas served as president of the San Antonio-based Con Safo art group (1971-73). Con Safo is a Pachuco slang expression whose most common meanings are: "the same to you," "don't mess with this," and "forbidden to touch." In its abbreviated form, C/S, it is commonly used to protect murals from defacement. The art group adopted the name "Con Safo" on December 19, 1971, at which time Casas presented his "Brown Paper Report," which listed 22 mostly sardonic definitions for the term Con Safo. The six co-founders of El Grupo regard Con Safo as the final reorganization of the group they cofounded in 1968. Casas, who initially thought he was founding a new group, subsequently concurred in this assessment. In December of 1971, the Con Safo group consisted of Felipe Reyes, Jose Esquivel, Jesse Almazán, Roberto Ríos, and Jose Garza (Jesse "Chista" Cantú, the other El Grupo member, was excluded at this time), and the two newly inducted members, Mel Casas and Jesse Treviño. Other notable artists who subsequently joined the group include Rudy Treviño (who subsequently served as the group's last president), Santos Martínez, César Martínez, Amado Peña, Jr., Carmen Lomas Garza, Kathy Vargas, Roberto Gonzalez, and Rolando Briseño. Several of the artists in the group were students of Casas, who was teaching at San Antonio College. Through the Con Safo group, members discussed Chicano art and politics, as well as other issues. They gained exposure by participating in exhibitions. Beginning in 1972, they required insurance and charged exhibiting institutions a fee. Con Safo was considered influential and helped Chicano art receive recognition when Chicanos and their work were largely excluded from museums and galleries.