The Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art & Culture is celebrating its fourth anniversary with a new exhibition that examines identity, migration, labor and community through the work of more than 60 artists.
We the People: Chicano Art in the U.S.A., which opened Saturday in Riverside, features 126 works by 61 artists drawn from Cheech Marin's collection, the museum's permanent holdings, recent acquisitions and artist loans.
Artist and curator Benito Huerta, who organized the exhibition, said he approached the show by looking for works that speak to the current moment.
"What excited me was to look at the work and, in a sense, kind of utilize some of the work in the collection to reference what is going on in our times right now," Huerta said.
Throughout the galleries, visitors will find works that touch on immigration, labor, social justice and cultural identity. Huerta said many of the issues explored in the artwork remain relevant decades after some of the pieces were created.
"Some of the things that have been going on for a while are still going on now," he said. "There's a different attitude than before."
The exhibition's title comes from the opening words of the U.S. Constitution and reflects Huerta's belief that the experiences depicted inside the museum are inseparable from those unfolding in communities across the Inland Empire.
"A lot of the things that are happening in these galleries are also happening in the community, so art is not excluded from the community, it is part of the community," Huerta said.
One of the featured artists is Israel Alejandro García García, whose installation Mojado No. 1 explores migration, documentation and family history.
"I describe this work as a self-portrait," García said. "I think it's the first time that I've put such a myself and my family history in the work."
The title references a term often used as a slur against immigrants.
"I kind of began a narrative, ultimately through taking power back of a term that is typically derogatory, especially here in the U.S.," García García said. "And I think we take ownership that it ultimately does identify as the hard work that we actually put into our struggle."
García also said the installation continues themes that have long appeared throughout his work.
"I'm always kind of dealing with the immigrant experience, and not only the happy, but also kind of the tragedies within the history of our people and our community, and the diaspora between communities, and how we're treated here in the U.S.," he said.
The exhibition also includes photography by San Bernardino-based artist Amy Zapata, whose work documents drag performers and queer nightlife.
Zapata said her photographs serve as a way to preserve moments and histories that are often overlooked.
"Especially with drag and queer history, it's like, how do we preserve that kind of nightlife experience?" she said.
Her photographs capture performers and community gatherings that may no longer exist as queer spaces continue to evolve.
Zapata said documenting those moments is also an act of visibility.
"Queer people have always been here," she said. "And drag expression is just fun and I think that sometimes fun and joy is also protesting."
For Zapata, exhibiting at The Cheech carries special significance as an Inland Empire artist.
"I love that the Cheech is in the Inland Empire," she said. "It's incredible and I'm so honored."
Marin said institutions like The Cheech help ensure the stories and experiences reflected in the artwork are preserved for future generations.
“Art history is very patient,” said Marin. “[It] waits for you to understand it.”
We the People: Chicano Art in the U.S.A. opens Saturday and runs through May 23, 2027.
