Malaquias Montoya
Malaquias Montoya came to us via Mark Valen’s Art for a Change website. The two participated in a popular Chicano graphic arts exhibition in 2001. Montoya’s portfolio includes poster work shown in many exhibitions across the nation, in both group and solo showings. More, he speaks widely about art and activism. Of his own art, he says:
It is with this voice that I attempt to communicate, especially to that silent and often ignored populace of Chicano, Mexican and Central American working class, along with other disenfranchised people of the world. This form allows me to awaken consciousness, to reveal reality and to actively work to transform it. What better function for art at this time? A voice for the voiceless.
You can find more about both artists’ work in the bilingual book Just Another Poster? In it, you will find professors, curators, and artists weighing in on the history of Chicano art and the social movement surrounding it.
I’m personally drawn to Montoya’s collage-influenced work. The Human Experiment, a silkscreen he did in 2003, was the first to catch my eye. Also, I’d gladly hang Abolish the Death Penalty in a Groundswell space someday.
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