¡CHICANAO! Caminos Distintos
Opening reception:
June 6, 2025, 5-7pm
Exhibition:
June 6th - November 2nd, 2025
The cultural label of “Chicano” originated as a derogatory term for individuals of Mexican American heritage, but was reclaimed by members of the Pachuco movement in the 1940s and then adopted by members of Hispanic communities in their fight for civil rights. Today this term generally applies to individuals of Mexican American descent, however it is a term that has always encompassed nuances of meaning and that has remained unchanged. Caminos Distintos refers to the many paths that Chicano artists in New Mexico have taken in the expression of their “Chicanismo”. Celebrated in this exhibition are different artistic themes, such as cultural traditions, the relevance of food and family, the landscape and importance of place, Dia de Los Muertos, traditional religious mediums, and expressions that have evolved and fused with styles of contemporary Chicano artists. Chicano art and identity are explored through an exhibition of artwork carrying potent political statements, a mainstay in Chicano art past and present.
Pola Lopez |
Patricio Tlacaelel Trujillo y Fuentes |
Early on, in el movimiento, it was difficult to claim an identity as a Chicano artist due to negative underpinnings and misunderstandings of what it means to be Chicano. Aspects of indigenous roots, internalized colonialism and trauma, and contemporary adversity contribute to the understanding of what it means to be Chicano, however those aspects do not define Chicanismo. We now pose the question, “What has changed and what has stayed the same?”
All movements grow, evolve and change. Many artists in the beginning of el movimiento such as the Antepasados and the Maestros, who opened the doors for the new Chicano artists, are now referenced and reflected by the new generation. Through this collection of work we seek to honor the past, engage with the present, and envision the future through the eyes of Chicana and Chicano artists of New Mexico. Thus the title of this show combines Chicana and Chicano into CHICANAO, combining the sides of the community and projecting that unity into the present and future.
Exhibition programs:
- Opening event: June 6th, 2025, 5-7pm
- Artist panel: “Nuestros Antepasados”: July 13th, 2025, 2-3:30pm
- Artist panel: “El Futuro”: September 14th, 2025, 2-3:30pm
- Closing event: "Community Ofrenda and Dia de Los Muertos celebration": November 2nd, 12-5pm
Curatorial Bios:
Patricio Tlacaelel Trujillo y Fuentes has been doing his cut paper art since a young age. His work is currently on display at the Michael Gorman Gallery on the plaza in Taos, NM., and will be seen at ART Santa Fe in July. Tlacaelel's work has been written about in newspapers and magazines and his works are in collections around the United States.
Pola Lopez is a prominent Chicana painter and muralist, born and raised in Las Vegas, New Mexico. She identifies as an artist of mixed Jicarilla Apache and European heritage. Her acrylic paintings are driven by color and convey a multi-faceted array of symbolic, cultural and feminine imagery infused with spiritual vision and incendiary composition, establishing her as a key artist in the Latina/Hispana/Chicana/Mestiza genre.
Artist names:
- Alvin Gill-Tapia
- Ana Rivera
- Anita Rodriguez
- Ari Espinoza
- Ariel Rivera
- Arnold Trujillo
- Roberto Lara
- Brandon Maldonado
- Carolyn Wolf
- Cruz Lopez
- Delilah Montoya
- Diego Rigales
- Eric Romero
- Francisco LeFebre
- George Chacon
- Israel Haros
- Juanita Jaramillo Lavadie
- Luis Tapia
- Marie Romero Cash
- Michael Heralda
- Michael Campos
- Nacho Jaramillo
- Patricio Tlacaelel Trujillio y Fuentes
- Patrocino Barela
- Santiago Rivera
- David Escudero
- Oscar Lozoya
- Nicholas Herrera
- Cecilio "Xilo" Garcia Camarillo
- Pola Lopez
- Ruby Red