In the Curator’s Words is an occasional series that takes a critical look at current exhibitions through the eyes of curators.
When Alessandra Moctezuma was offered an opportunity to host a traveling exhibit on Chicano art — specifically Chicana portraiture — she didn’t even have to think twice about it.
She was “immediately interested,” and that interest led to a new exhibition at the San Diego Mesa College Art Gallery, where Moctezuma is the director.
Moctezuma, who also teaches Museum Studies at the college as a professor of fine art, joined Sybil Venegas to take us behind the scenes of the exhibition, titled “The Politics of Portrayal: Three Generations of Chicana Portraiture in Los Angeles in Conversation with San Diego Artists,” which is on view through March 5.
Katie Ruiz’s “Sasha” (2025, oil on canvas with yarn pompoms and ribbons) is part of the Mesa College Art Gallery exhibit “The Politics of Portrayal: Three Generations of Chicana Portraiture in Los Angeles.” (Mesa College Art Gallery)
Q: This exhibition in San Diego grew out of an exhibition previously held in Los Angeles at Avenue 50 Studio. How did it land in San Diego?
Sybil Venegas: The Avenue 50 Studio received a generous grant from the California State Natural Resource Board for this exhibition. The grant included funding for both a catalog and the opportunity to travel the exhibit to another California location outside of Los Angeles. San Diego Mesa College Art Gallery agreed to host the traveling exhibit for this project.
Alessandra Moctezuma: I was immediately interested when Sybil approached me. For nearly two decades, I have been teaching Chicano Art, and college students learn about these artists in class, especially the first generation, Barbara Carrasco and Yreina D. Cervantez, who were involved in the Chicano movement and produced silk-screen prints at Self-Help Graphics. We were very lucky that we were chosen to showcase this outstanding exhibit.
Q: Tell us about the exhibit itself, and what it hopes to accomplish?
Venegas: In 2023, the Avenue 50 Studio opened “The Politics of Portrayal: Three Generations of Chicana Portraiture in Los Angeles.” I curated the exhibit, and it features over five decades of artwork by six Chicana artists. The exhibit explores the political manifestations of portraiture as it evolved within the Chicana art genre from the 1970s to the present time. The project is supported by a catalog featuring over 40 artworks and a curatorial essay.
Moctezuma: The exhibit features different approaches to portraiture with an emphasis on exploring identity, honoring activism and celebrating the contributions of women. The imagery can be symbolic or realistic; some artists are inspired by the Latin-American tradition of magical realism, by their dreams, by folk art or Mesoamerican culture. Personal narratives come through but also a commitment to social justice.
Marianela de la Hoz’s “Suave Patria – Sweet Homeland” (2016, egg tempera on board) is part of the Mesa College Art Gallery exhibit “The Politics of Portrayal: Three Generations of Chicana Portraiture in Los Angeles.” (Mesa College Art Gallery)
Q: There are many artists featured in this show. How did you connect with the artists, and how did you end up choosing the ones showcased in the exhibit?
Venegas: The artists featured are five of the six original Los Angeles artists who were selected for the exhibit in 2023. These curatorial selections were based upon the artist’s generational status, their use of portraiture to make socio-political commentary and the interplay of their work with other artworks across generations. The three San Diego artists were added to the San Diego Mesa College Gallery exhibit to provide a local relevance for San Diego audiences.
Moctezuma: Yes, it was important to acknowledge the intergenerational artists in this borderlands region who also work alongside that theme. In 2019, we had shown Katie Ruiz’s artwork in the gallery, and I was familiar with her portraits. Marianela de la Hoz, who lives here but is originally from Mexico, creates surreal paintings that align well with the topic. We were also excited to include Ale Ruiz Tostado because she’s a recent alumna of our Museum Studies program.
Q: You call this an “intergenerational exhibition of Chicana portraiture.” Tell us more about that aspect of this show — that it spans different generations.
Venegas: Chicana art as a genre is now over 50 years old. This exhibit demonstrates the evolution of the genre by the Baby Boomer artists who emerged as activist painters and muralists in the 1970s; by the Gen X artists who furthered the political activism of the Chicanx civil rights movement in the 1990s through performance and community engaged art spaces and, by the 21st century explorations into the politics of cultural reclamation as a means of self-healing by Millennial artists.
Moctezuma: I think this is a beautiful way to acknowledge the passing of cultural traditions from one generation to the next. In a sense, it’s also a celebration of matrilineal connections while also reaffirming the evolution of styles and ideas as artists respond to the world around them.
Yreina D. Cervantez’s “Protectors of La Naturaleza ¡Presente!” (2020, acrylic on wood panel) is part of the Mesa College Art Gallery exhibit “The Politics of Portrayal: Three Generations of Chicana Portraiture in Los Angeles.” (Mesa College Art Gallery)
Q: What do you hope the viewer takes away from seeing this exhibit?
Venegas: The most important takeaway would be that the viewer recognize the power of portraiture to stimulate political thought. Another takeaway would be visualizing the power of community to create an art movement grounded in political activism, cultural reclamation and spirituality and sustain it over generations. Finally, and hopefully the lasting takeaway, would be that the viewers acknowledge the amazing artistry of the participating artists.
Moctezuma: I concur with all those points. The paintings are also beautiful and diverse, I feel that everyone will find pieces and visual stories that they will connect with. Chicana and Mexican artists reflect on the past while imagining the future. Touring the gallery is a joyful experience.
The Mesa College Art Gallery exhibit “The Politics of Portrayal: Three Generations of Chicana Portraiture in Los Angeles” is on display through March 5, 2026. (San Diego Mesa College Office of Communications)
Mesa College Art Gallery presents “The Politics of Portrayal: Three Generations of Chicana Portraiture in Los Angeles”
When: Through March 5. Noon to 5 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, or by appointment. Artist panel and reception: Saturday, Feb. 28, 4 to 7 p.m.
Where: San Diego Mesa College Art Gallery, 7250 Mesa College Drive, Fine Arts Building Room 103, San Diego.
Parking: During regular gallery hours, visitors can park in student spots in Parking Lot 1. Tickets can be purchased near the entrance or via the ParkMobile app, using the campus code for Mesa College: 21003.
Admission: Free
Phone: 619-388-2829
Online: sdmesa.edu/about-mesa/galleries-and-attractions/mesa-college-art-gallery/