Artwork depicting Cesar Chavez’s leadership in the farmworker movement is now being reconsidered in public and private places.<\/p>\n
Chicano artist and muralist Carlos Lopez marched with Chavez as a child. He said he was shocked to hear the recent sexual assault allegations that have the late labor leader’s legacy under scrutiny.<\/p>\n
Lopez, a member of the Chicano Royal Air Force collective, says any work showing Chavez’s face should be replaced, “and I painted Cesar Chavez’s face several times.”<\/p>\n
“When I hear that Chavez had done these atrocities to these ladies, it was like a sucker gut punch,” Lopez said.<\/p>\n
In Sacramento, the Crocker Art Museum’s current exhibit, “Rebels with La Causa,” features a showcase of Chicano Royal Air Force artwork, including a 1972 work by Jose Montoya depicting Chavez that has been removed.<\/p>\n
“After discussion with the show’s curator and the artist’s family, we have removed the piece and replaced with another by the same artist,” Crocker Art Museum said in a statement.<\/p>\n
Dolores Huerta<\/a>, 95, who co-founded the United Farm Workers (UFW) Union with Chavez, has accused him of raping her twice. A New York Times investigation<\/a> also found he sexually assaulted girls while he was the president of the UFW.<\/p>\n “I would have never guessed this, you know?” Lopez said. “I would have never thought this would be part of his legacy.”<\/p>\n Lopez not only marched as a child in the Delano Grape Strike in 1970, but he also lived with Huerta’s daughter.<\/p>\n “One of her daughters lived at our place, our family home, when we were growing up for a while,” Lopez said.<\/p>\n Now this artist, who is devoted to depicting the Chicano struggle, says removing Chavez from artwork may be the only choice.<\/p>\n “I’m in a quandary over it, really,” Lopez said. “Yeah, an emotional quandary.”<\/p>\n