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An Exhibition Featuring Work by José Guadalupe Posada and Contemporary Latinx Artists
October 7 – December 13, 2019
Known for his animated skeleton figures—or calaveras—used in annual Day of the Dead observances, Posada chronicled and satirized his society in street art that appealed to the public during the reign of dictator Porfirio Díaz. The exhibition will provide the unique opportunity for audiences to examine the genealogy of an image, tracing the calavera figure in Posada’s illustrations to its profound impact upon generations of Mexican and Chicana/o artists over the last century, and finally to its continuing presence within United States popular culture.
Posada’s legacy was an inspiration to the Chicana/o art movement during the 1970s, and it continues to be an important touchstone for Latinx artists whose works address the political and social issues of their times in graphic arts, installation, performance, and film.
Along with Posada’s pieces, “Legend and Legacy” will include work by contemporary Latinx artists: Lalo Alcaraz; Olivia Y. Armas; José Antonio Burciaga; Melanie Cervantes of Dignidad Rebelde; Rupert García; Ester Hernández; Kalli Arte (Adriana Carranza and Alfonso Aceves); Robert Karimi; Alvaro Márquez; and Artemio Rodríguez. The exhibition is organized by Olivia Y. Armas, artist and educator, and Rod Hernandez, associate professor of English at CSUDH.
Exhibition Press Release
This project was made possible with support from California Humanities, a non-profit partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities. The exhibition is presented in collaboration with the Donald R. and Beverly J. Gerth Archives and Special Collections Department.
