VIVA EL ARTE, LOS ANGELES

Self Help Graphics & Art

The impact of Latino art on Los Angeles is massive and encompasses a timeline as long as the city itself. Visitors can explore the richness and diversity of Latino art throughout Greater Los Angeles, from pre-Columbian works at the Vincent Price Art Museum to Self Help Graphics’ Diá de los Muertos celebrations to exhibitions of contemporary pan-Latin American artists at the Museum of Latin American Art.

In addition to exhibitions, these cultural attractions offer a wide range of public programming, like the robust workshop calendars at Self Help Graphics and La Plaza Cocina. Be sure to visit individual websites and sign up for newsletters, or follow these destinations on social media, to stay updated on current exhibition and programming schedules.

LA PLAZA DE CULTURA Y ARTES

Margaret Garcia, "Night on Figueroa Street," 2022.
Courtesy of the artist.

Through stories and artifacts, La Plaza de Cultura y Artes (501 N Main St., Los Angeles 90012) takes visitors on a journey through the history of Los Angeles in its permanent exhibition L.A. Starts Here! Walk through a timeline that begins with pre-colonial Tongva communities and leads you to contemporary Los Angeles.

La Plaza de Cultura y Artes brings together history, politics, architecture and art to explore the lives of Mexican, Mexican-American and Latinos in the city. In addition to historical exhibitions, expect to see the works of local artists like Margaret Garcia, whose solo show, Arte Para La Gente is on view through June 11, 2023.

La Plaza de Cultura y Artes is open Wednesday through Sunday from noon to 5pm. Admission is free.

LA PLAZA COCINA

Located just a block away from La Plaza de Cultura y Artes, La Plaza Cocina (555 N Spring St., Los Angeles 90012) is the first museum in the country dedicated to the history and culture of Mexican food, which is told through heirlooms, recipes and personal stories. Twice-yearly exhibits like Abuelita's Kitchen explore a particular culinary topic or region.

La Plaza Cocina is also a teaching kitchen, with a busy calendar of Cooking Classes that includes some for children ages 12-17. Workshops can sell out, so sign up for La Plaza Cocina’s newsletter to get a heads up on the schedule.

If you’re looking to up your game in your own kitchen, be sure to check out the cookbook collection in the museum’s gift shop.

SELF HELP GRAPHICS & ART

Boyle Heights-based Self Helps Graphics & Art (1300 1st St, Los Angeles 90033) has a long history of arts and activism in Los Angeles. Its roots go back to the Chicano Civil Rights movement, when artists Sister Karen Boccalero, Carlos Bueno, Antonio Ibáñez and Frank Hernández joined forces for their first group exhibition at the El Mercado shopping center in 1971. With a grant from the Order of the Sisters of St. Francis, they opened Self Help Graphics in 1972. SHG quickly grew into an important resource for arts education, as well as a venue for emerging artists.

SHG’s programming is robust and includes workshops, exhibitions and artist markets. The studio is best known for its annual Diá de los Muertos season of events, which include community workshops in October and culminate with a celebration on or around the holiday itself.

SPARC (SOCIAL AND PUBLIC ART RESOURCE CENTER)

SPARC mural by Lapiztola |
 Photo: @martin_alamango, Instagram

One of the five arts and culture institutions that comprise the Latinx Arts Alliance, SPARC (685 Venice Blvd., Venice 90291) was founded in 1976 by artists Judith F. Baca, Christine Schlesinger and filmmaker Donna Deitch.

Its projects include Baca’s famed half-mile mural The Great Wall of Los Angeles, located in the San Fernando Valley; and The World Wall: A Vision of the World Without Fear, which is on view at MOCA’s Geffen Contemporary in Little Tokyo through Feb. 13, 2023.

SPARC’s Venice headquarters and gallery is currently open by appointment only. For inquiries, email info@sparcinla.org.

VINCENT PRICE ART MUSEUM

Located on the campus of East LA College, the Vincent Price Art Museum (1301 Avenida Cesar Chavez, Monterey Park 91754) began in 1957 with 90 pieces donated from the collection of horror movie icon Vincent Price and his wife Mary Grant.

Since then, it’s expanded to a seven-gallery museum that’s home to an immense permanent collection that ranges from pre-Columbian works - close to 40 of which were donated by Price himself - as well as works by contemporary artists like Patssi Valdez and Gronk. VPAM exhibitions include ELAC student shows as well as group and solo exhibitions from emerging and established artists.

Museum hours are Wednesday through Saturday from noon to 4pm and admission is free. Reservations are recommended, call (323) 265-8841 or email info@vpam.org. Walk-up entry is on a first-come, first-served basis.

MUSEUM OF LATIN AMERICAN ART

"Oaxacalifornia" by Tlacolulokos Collective, Murals,
Permanent Collection at MOLAA, courtesy of Instagram, @molaa

Founded in 1996, the Museum of Latin American Art (628 Alamitos Avenue, Long Beach 90802) focuses specifically on modern and contemporary art from Latin America and Latino artists - it’s the only museum in the United States with this mission. The MOLAA permanent collection now numbers more than 1,300 works of art. The spacious Long Beach venue runs multiple exhibitions concurrently, along with numerous events like art workshops and dance classes.

Named for MOLAA's founder, the Robert Gumbiner Sculpture & Events Garden exhibits works from the museum's permanent collection, world-renowned as the most important collection of contemporary Latin American sculpture in the country. Highlights include a stainless steel sculpture by Mexican artist Leonardo Nierman and a bronze piece by Cuban artist Carlos Luna.

Online tickets are recommended, walk-ups are welcome. Visitors can also register for MOLAA Free Sundays.

THE CHEECH

 “Collidoscope: de la Torre Brothers Retro-Perspective” at The Cheech
Photo: Daniel Djang

After much anticipation, The Cheech - a collaborative effort between the Riverside Art Museum, the City of Riverside, and comedian/art collector Cheech Marin - officially opened in June 2022. Formally known as The Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art & Culture (3581 Mission Inn Ave., Riverside 92501) the 61,420 square-foot space is dedicated specifically to Chicano art. Its permanent collection includes works from trailblazers like Gilbert “Magú” Lugán, Frank Romero, Judithe Hernández and Carlos Almaraz.

The museum launched its temporary exhibition program with Collidoscope: de la Torre Brothers Retro-Perspective. Focused on the decades-long career of Einar and James de la Torre, Collidoscope is on view through Jan. 22, 2023.

Capacity at The Cheech is limited, so purchase your timed admission tickets in advance online.

*Written by by Liz Ohanesian