Emigdio Vasquez and El Proletariado de Aztlán: The Geography of Chicano Murals in Orange County

About

The mural was originally painted in 1979 by Higgy’s father, Emigdio Vasquez, a prolific artist who painted 22 public murals in Orange County between 1976 and 2006. Vasquez’ murals celebrated the Chicano cultural movement, depicting local people and places alongside imagery from Mexican and Mexican-American history. For Pacific Standard Time: LA/LA, Chapman’s curatorial team will launch the first comprehensive investigation of these local murals and the communities they identify. Satellite exhibitions on campus at the Guggenheim Gallery and the University Student Union will highlight the work of contemporary Chicana/o muralists and display historical artifacts and photos relating to Chicano murals in Orange County, and a downloadable app will enable users to view an interactive map of historic mural sites for a self-guided tour that provides information on each work, including those that have been destroyed.