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For Art Basel Miami, Image commissioned the visionary artist rafa esparza to create a performance in collaboration with his gallery Commonwealth and Council. The result is “Corpo RanfLA: Terra Cruiser,” during which esparza will transform his body into a lowrider cyborg and invite people in his community to “ride” him. The remnants of the performance — a retrofitted 25-cent pony ride structure — will remain on display during the fair.

In this special edition of Image, commemorating the occasion of “Corpo RanfLA: Terra Cruiser,” we invited esparza and several riders to share their stories and how this special project came to be.

The editors

How rafa esparza transformed himself into a lowrider cyborg for Art Basel Miami

How rafa esparza transformed himself into a lowrider cyborg for Art Basel Miami

For the L.A. artist, ‘Corpo RanfLA: Terra Cruiser’ is a hopeful work. ‘I feel like this piece has everything about building a lowrider car that’s exciting, like decisions about how you want your body adorned, how you want this car to look’  Read the story  🦾  
Documenting rafa esparza’s magic was a dream that is going to be with me forever

Documenting rafa esparza’s magic was a dream that is going to be with me forever

Fabian Guerrero reflects on how the original ‘Corpo RanfLA’ performance shaped him: ‘I learned that... my work is not only about me, it’s about other people’  Read the story  📸  
The cyborg is an extension of self. What myths has this creature inherited from rafa?

The cyborg is an extension of self. What myths has this creature inherited from rafa?

Karla Ekatherine Canseco on the many narratives the lowrider spaceship she helped create will be carrying into the future  Read the story  👩🏽‍🏭  
The paint must hit from all angles on the lowrider cyborg. Enter Mario Ayala

The paint must hit from all angles on the lowrider cyborg. Enter Mario Ayala

‘He knew that I airbrushed and was also thinking about how the mechanics of a car machine resemble parts of the human body — are kind of extensions of them in some way’  Read the story  🎨  
Present this ticket designed by Victor Barragán when it’s time to ride rafa esparza

Present this ticket designed by Victor Barragán when it’s time to ride rafa esparza

The visionary fashion artist’s contribution to ‘Corpo RanfLA: Terra Cruiser’ has the feeling of something you’ve found  Read the story  🎟  
‘Corpo RanfLA: Terra Cruiser’ is about collective memory. Guadalupe Rosales can explain

‘Corpo RanfLA: Terra Cruiser’ is about collective memory. Guadalupe Rosales can explain

From Veteranas and Rucas to Map Pointz, the East L.A. artist will show you what she means when she says the body is an archive  Read the story  📂  
Behind the scenes of ‘Corpo RanfLA: Terra Cruiser’

Behind the scenes of ‘Corpo RanfLA: Terra Cruiser’

A short film on the making of the lowrider cyborg by Gustavo Soriano  Read the story  📹  
Bárbara Sánchez-Kane and Estevan Oriol prepared a proper high-fashion send-off for the cyborg

Bárbara Sánchez-Kane and Estevan Oriol prepared a proper high-fashion send-off for the cyborg

At Elysian Park, the iconic designer and legendary photographer teamed up to commemorate the next phase of ‘Corpo RanfLA,’ with style  Read the story  👗