Skip to main content

Search

My Visit
Donate
Home Smithsonian Institution

Site Navigation

  • Visit
    • Museums and Zoo
    • Entry and Guidelines
    • Maps and Brochures
    • Dine and Shop
    • Accessibility
    • Visiting with Kids
    • Group Visits
      • Group Sales
  • What's On
    • Exhibitions
      • Current
      • Upcoming
      • Past
    • Online Events
    • All Events
    • IMAX & Planetarium
  • Explore
    • - Art & Design
    • - History & Culture
    • - Science & Nature
    • Collections
      • Open Access
    • Research Resources
      • Libraries
      • Archives
        • Smithsonian Institution Archives
        • Air and Space Museum
        • Anacostia Community Museum
        • American Art Museum
        • Archives of American Art
        • Archives of American Gardens
        • American History Museum
        • American Indian Museum
        • Asian Art Museum Archives
        • Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives, African Art
        • Hirshhorn Archive
        • National Anthropological Archives
        • National Portrait Gallery
        • Ralph Rinzler Archives, Folklife
        • Libraries' Special Collections
    • Podcasts
    • Stories
  • Learn
    • For Caregivers
    • For Educators
      • Art & Design Resources
      • Science & Nature Resources
      • Social Studies & Civics Resources
      • Professional Development
      • Events for Educators
      • Field Trips
    • For Students
    • For Academics
    • For Lifelong Learners
  • Support Us
    • Become a Member
    • Renew Membership
    • Make a Gift
    • Volunteer
      • Smithsonian Call Center
      • Ambassador Program
      • Museum Information Desk
      • Docent Programs
      • Behind-the-Scenes
      • Digital Volunteers
      • Participatory Science
  • About
    • Our Organization
      • Board of Regents
        • Members
        • Committees
        • Reading Room
        • Bylaws, Policies and Procedures
        • Schedules and Agendas
        • Meeting Minutes
        • Actions
        • Webcasts
        • Contact
      • Museums and Zoo
      • Research Centers
      • Cultural Centers
      • Education Centers
      • General Counsel
        • Legal History
        • Internships
        • Records Requests
          • Reading Room
        • Tort Claim
        • Subpoenas & Testimonies
        • Events
      • Office of Human Resources
        • Employee Benefits
        • How to Apply
        • Job Opportunities
        • Job Seekers with Disabilities
        • Frequently Asked Questions
        • SI Civil Program
        • Contact Us
      • Office of Equal Opportunity
        • EEO Complaint Process
        • Individuals with Disabilities
        • Small Business Program
          • Doing Business with Us
          • Contracting Opportunities
          • Additional Resources
        • Special Emphasis Program
      • Sponsored Projects
        • Policies
          • Combating Trafficking in Persons
          • Animal Care and Use
          • Human Research
        • Reports
        • Internships
    • Our Leadership
    • Reports and Plans
      • Annual Reports
      • Metrics Dashboard
        • Dashboard Home
        • Virtual Smithsonian
        • Public Engagement
        • National Collections
        • Research
        • People & Operations
      • Strategic Plan
    • Newsdesk
      • News Releases
      • Media Contacts
      • Photos and Video
      • Media Kits
      • Fact Sheets
      • Visitor Stats
      • Secretary and Admin Bios
      • Filming Requests

Flaco Jiménez

National Portrait Gallery

Object Details

Artist
Al Rendon, born 1957
Sitter
Flaco Jiménez, born 11 Mar 1939
Exhibition Label
Born San Antonio, Texas
The accordionist Leonardo “Flaco” Jiménez has been the most influential person in bringing Tejano music to national and international audiences. Jiménez grew up immersed in the traditional conjunto music of the U.S.-Mexico border and began performing with his father, Santiago Jiménez Jr., when he was seven years old. During childhood, he earned the nickname “Flaco,” the Spanish word for “skinny.”
Flaco’s collaborations with musicians like Ry Cooder, Bob Dylan, the Rolling Stones, and Carlos Santana, along with his 1990s band the Texas Tornados, brought conjunto music to the attention of the American mainstream and simultaneously encouraged conjunto to mingle with these other influences. Flaco has won five Grammy awards, including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015.
The double-exposure in this photograph resulted from the jamming of the film in Al Rendón’s camera, an “accident” the artist embraced to create a unique artwork.
Nacido en San Antonio, Texas
El acordeonista Leonardo “Flaco” Jiménez ha sido la figura que más ha influido para divulgar la música tejana-mexicana entre el público nacional e internacional. Jiménez creció inmerso en el estilo musical “de conjunto”, típico de la frontera entre Estados Unidos y México, y comenzó a tocar con su padre, Santiago Jiménez Jr., a la edad de siete años. El apodo de “Flaco” lo adquirió en su niñez.
Las colaboraciones del Flaco con músicos como Ry Cooder, Bob Dylan, los Rolling Stones y Carlos Santana, junto con los Texas Tornados, su banda de la década de 1990, atrajeron la atención del público y la industria musical estadounidenses hacia el estilo de los conjuntos tejanos, al tiempo que motivaron a estos a experimentar con otras influencias. El Flaco ha ganado cinco premios Grammy, incluido uno por su trayectoria artística en 2015.
La doble exposición de esta fotografía se debió a que la película se atascó en la cámara de Al Rendón, un “accidente” que el artista utilizó para crear una obra de arte única.
Credit Line
National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; acquisition made possible through the Smithsonian Latino Initiatives Pool, administered by the Smithsonian Latino Center.
1987
Object number
NPG.2016.9
Restrictions & Rights
Usage conditions apply
Copyright
© 2015 Al Rendon
Type
Photograph
Medium
Toned gelatin silver print
Dimensions
Image: 39.7 × 27.3 cm (15 5/8 × 10 3/4")
Sheet: 50.4 × 40.5 cm (19 13/16 × 15 15/16")
Frame (Artist Frame): 71.1 × 61 cm (28 × 24")
Place
United States\Texas\Bexar\San Antonio
See more items in
National Portrait Gallery Collection
Location
Currently not on view
National Portrait Gallery
Topic
Equipment\Sound Devices\Microphone
Music\Musical instrument\Accordion
Interior\Ballroom
Flaco Jiménez: Male
Flaco Jiménez: Arts and Culture\Performing Arts\Music\Musician
Flaco Jiménez: Performing arts awards\Grammy
Portrait
Record ID
npg_NPG.2016.9
Metadata Usage (text)
Usage conditions apply
GUID (Link to Original Record)
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/sm4475e025c-c3ab-4f4a-ade8-5bed6ef6e72c

Related Content

  • American Music

    Smithsonian Music
  • Explore America: Texas

  • Latino History and Heritage in the Collections

  • Latino Music Collections Highlights

    Smithsonian Music
  • Musical Migrant: Accordions on the Move

    Smithsonian Music
  • Latino Music Collections Highlights

    Smithsonian Music
There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page .
International media Interoperability Framework
IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more.
View manifest View in Mirador Viewer

Footer logo

Link to homepage

Footer navigation

  • Contact Us
  • Job Opportunities
  • Get Involved
  • Inspector General
  • Records Requests
  • Accessibility
  • EEO & Small Business
  • Shop Online
  • Host Your Event
  • Press Room
  • Privacy
  • Terms of Use

Social media links

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • LinkedIn

Get the latest news from the Smithsonian

Sign up for Smithsonian e-news

Get the latest news from the Smithsonian

Email powered by BlackBaud (Privacy Policy, Terms of Use)
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
Back to Top