The Cheech Celebrates Four Years with the New Exhibit, We the People: Chicano Art in the U.S.A.

The Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art and Culture is opening a new exhibition — We the People: Chicano Art in the U.S.A. — as the museum marks its fourth anniversary. The show opens Saturday, May 30, and runs through May 23, 2027. In its four years, the museum has welcomed over 400,000 visitors to its first-floor galleries.

We the People: Chicano Art in the U.S.A. was curated by gallery curator and artist Benito Huerta. The mission statement made by Huerta describes it as a "declarative statement that we, Chicanos, are part of the people of these United States of America. We are integral to the fabric of this country and American art." Huerta's curated show provides a platform for over 60 artists, who have produced 120 works of art. Some of the 60-plus artists featured include Vincent Valdez, Alejandro Macias and Sonia Romero. More than half of the art featured in the exhibit tackles heavy topics such as immigration, borders, migration, and more.

One standout is Vincent Valdez's Hello America, which flips the legendary Washington Crossing the Delaware upside down, with a sinking ship packed to the brim with historical and pop culture icons, war-grade weaponry, policemen, homeless people, beauty queens, and immigrant families. Created using intaglio gravure with embossed titling and hand-colored in pencil, it's a dense, layered work reflecting the nation's political and cultural divisions.

Another piece that stops visitors in their tracks is Wings of the Dead by Sonia Romero — a laser-cut plexiglass piece on laser-etched wood, hand-painted by the artist. Romero uses crimson red to paint a human skull, overshadowed by a black butterfly that forms eyes on the skull. Unlike many of the exhibit's more politically specific works, Romero takes on a universal subject.

The summer also brings a celebration of Cheech Marin himself. On July 12, a public birthday party will be held at the museum in honor of his 80th birthday. The family-friendly event will offer live music, food trucks, vendors, and a special performance by Cherry Bomb Revival, with free admission with advance reservation.

More information: We the People: Chicano Art in the U.S.A. is on view at The Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art & Culture, 3581 Mission Inn Ave., through May 23, 2027. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. General admission is $17.95 for adults; $12.95 for seniors, educators, college students and children ages 13-17; free for children 12 and under and RAM members. Admission includes entry to both The Cheech and the Riverside Art Museum. The museum offers free admission during Riverside ArtsWalk (first Thursday of each month, 6-9 p.m.) and Free Summer Sundays every Sunday June 7 through Sept. 6. Tickets and information at riversideartmuseum.org.

By Maxen Olvera