Alejandro VidalAs you enter the Chicano art exhibit, you can’t help but stop in front of a painting that looks familiar, not because you’ve seen the artwork before, but because it looks like “home.”
Fred Ortiz, born in Chavez Ravine in 1946 and living in California his entire life, found himself stopping frequently while viewing the works by Emigdio Vasquez. “That’s total California,” Ortiz said, explaining that it looks like Los Angeles, from the palm trees and colors to “the cracks in the concrete.”
Ortiz said that those details are significant because Chicano heritage is not just something people will read about in textbooks. It’s something people experience daily. Ortiz called Vasquez “a true historical person,” and further stated that Vasquez is a man of Mexican heritage who creates artwork that highlights local history. The reason this artwork stands out is that it does not feel like a lesson from a textbook, far removed from everyday experience. It feels like the neighborhood, because Vasquez painted things he actually knew.
Darren Hostetter, Co-Chair of the Art Department at Santa Ana College and Associate Professor of Art, stated, “It’s always a good time to celebrate Emigdios’ work.” He emphasized that it is especially important “now as the Latino and other immigrant cultures are under attack by the current U.S. Administration.” Hostetter also expressed his appreciation for the deep roots Vasquez has at Santa Ana College, noting that Vasquez attended SAC, got his MFA at Cal State Fullerton, and then came back to teach the first mural painting classes at SAC. He expressed pride that the campus will have Vasquez’s historical work “forever”.
Christian Larrea, a Public Service Fire degree student at Santa Ana College, who visited the exhibit, said that is exactly why highlighting Vasquez matters right now. He explained that many students only learn about Chicano history through short summaries, but the exhibit makes it feel real and local. “It’s not just something that happened. It’s connected to Orange County and regular community life.”
Ortiz said he first met Vasquez in 1996, and later came to realize the importance of Vasquez’s presence in Orange County. Vasquez actively worked from the 1970s through the 1990s, creating many murals and staying in touch with his community. Ortiz also noted Vasquez’s contributions to education. Ortiz mentioned the impact of Vasquez today because his artwork was created for actual communities and real people, not galleries. Ortiz also described Vasquez as one of the few artists who has successfully captured what everyday life in the United States is in a way that continues to be relatable to audiences today.
Ortiz believes the exhibit will interest students regardless of their artistic backgrounds. He said that taking the time to really view the artworks develops a sense of appreciation for art, because you begin to notice what makes a particular piece strong. He also believes most visitors to the exhibit will leave with memories of at least one of the artworks, and he encourages students to visit before the exhibit ends on April 1.
Larrea thinks there is potential for people to still relate to the exhibit even if they are not familiar with the topic of art. He stated that when people visit an exhibit, especially those new to visiting exhibits, they should select something that draws them in before reading too much about it. Then they should take a minute or two to study the details, such as clothing, faces and setting, to help tell the story of the selected item better, and also find labels easier to understand after taking a minute or two to just observe the selected item.
Ortiz also discussed how wide-ranging Chicano art can be. He explained that there is no single “look” to Chicano art; that the style in this exhibit is much more conservative than in many of the other styles and collections of Chicano art. Ortiz recommended visiting The Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art & Culture in Riverside to see a broader range of Chicano art.
Finally, Ortiz spoke about the connection to his own efforts to save Vasquez’s artwork over time. He spent years collecting and storing Vasquez’s paintings in his home, and eventually felt compelled to create a book related to the collection. At the exhibit, visitors can check out a copy of the book to find out more information.
Hostetter stated that he hoped that students and first-time visitors would gain a better understanding of what Vasquez was documenting. “Emigdio celebrated his Chicano culture and the struggles of being Chicano in Orange County in the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s,” he said. “A lot of people have forgotten just how much the Chicano and Latin cultures really had to fight for their civil rights and equality in this country.” He also felt that the exhibit could motivate students today. “With a lot of hard work, ambition, vision, passion, and a deep love of the craft,” he noted that he feels that people can look at Vasquez and see that “they too can leave a mark one day as Emigdio Vasquez did so beautifully.”
In an era in which cultural movements are often reduced to short-lived internet trends, Vasquez’s artwork presents Chicano heritage as a long-lasting and tangible concept. Larrea said the exhibit also sends a message that this history “matters enough to be placed in a public space where students walk by every day.” It doesn’t just show Chicano heritage as an idea; it shows it as a real place, a real community, and a history that continues to exist today.
