The Visual Language of Chicano Codices

Overview

Artist Eric Garcia’s drawings reexamine and reframe invisible histories of brown and black communities in the United States. His politically charged works use humor and a bold graphic style to prompt viewers to consider themes of power, language, and memory.

As Garcia explains, "I am the colonized and the colonizer. I am a descendant of the Indigenous lands north of the Rio Grande conquered and colonized by Spain and then by the United States. Like many generations of black and brown people have done before, I enlisted in the occupying military with the hopes of opportunities within the empire. Drawing on my experiences and cultural history, I create site specific installations, murals, hand printed posters and political cartoons. By reexamining forgotten stories in an accessible and visually striking way, my work can be a tool with which to share, learn from and spark critical dialogue. Specifically, I make art to prevent historical amnesia and cultural erasure."

Learn more about Garcia's work at his website and follow him on Instagram at @elmacheteillustrated.