Painters of Aztlán

Painters of Aztlán offers a survey of contemporary Chicano painting, the expressions of a culture that blends Mexican heritage with the reality of daily life in America.

When the current US-Mexico border lines were drawn in 1848, the meaning of Aztlán changed: the utopian Aztec paradise came down to earth and settled in the northern territories of what was once Mexico and is now the United States. The culture of the Mexican who chose to stay on in these regions was gradually transformed, giving rise to a new, completely unique cultural identity with two frames of reference. The cultural richness spawned by these political circumstances evolved a century later with the advent of mass migration from south to north, a phenomenon that has only intensified with the passing years. This marked the birth of the Chicano movement as a form of artistic expression and a proud cultural heritage whose true value has not been fully appreciated until relatively recently.

The exhibition features works by Frank Romero, Carlos Almaraz, Wayne Healy, Chaz Bojórquez, John Valadez, Adán Hernández, Patssi Valdez, George Yepes and David Flury.