Americus Taco, a collection of recent and not so recent work from Los Angeles artist, John M. Valadez running from Friday, May 12th- Saturday, June 24th. The various themes in Valadez’s work include forgotten Latino heroes from film and television, remixes of cinematic moments, and subtle humor. Valadez uses urban realism to further investigate his pursuit of allegory in our time; using the Southern California region as his palette. A selection of photography from the late 1970’s to mid 1980’s will be featured along with Valadez’s paintings, pastels, and drawings. This exhibition invites viewers to be stimulated, provoked, and view Los Angeles from a familiar but unique angle.

This exhibition is a collection of politically charged satirical work that analyze people of power and modern day culture. Gomez interacts with mainstream Western popular culture through his imagery and bright colors. His three dimensional objects allude to historical figures and literature while remaining whimsical. His large paintings link traditional painting and underground comics, satirizing political propaganda and current political figures. Despite their outward playfulness, Bueno’s work acts as a cultural critique using reference from the worlds of advertising, music, and cinema.

“Soñando en Califas” is an exhibition consisting of over three decades of work from the iconic artist, Frank Romero.
Romero’s artistic influence began when he and his fellow members of the iconic artist collective, Los Four, defined and promoted awareness of the Chicano community in Los Angeles with their art. Romero’s murals and Los Four’s activism in the Chicano Civil Rights movement brought Chicano art to the attention of the mainstream art world and made an impact when the collective was invited to have the first Chicano exhibition in a mainstream museum at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) in 1974.
The work exhibited in Soñando en Califas highlights the cultural influences that inspire Romero and outlines life as a Chicano living in Los Angeles. The familiarity of Romero’s motifs, such as transportation, public art, and heroic women, make the work relatable and a connection to the Chicano point of view is easily made. Everyday objects become idolized and graphic content is almost hidden with his use of vibrant color and expressive mark making that entices viewers and invites them to look closer at the image presented.