The third edition of "Soy de Tejas: A Statewide Survey of Latinx Art" opened at The Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art & Culture in Riverside, California. Curated by Rigoberto Luna, the exhibition brings together Texas Latinx artists, including Tina Medina, Karla Garcia, Cande Aguilar, and Joe Peña, showcasing their work on a national stage after previous iterations in San Antonio and Fort Worth. The opening weekend highlighted the significance of presenting Texas artists outside their home state, with Cheech Marin himself engaging with the artists and their families.
This exhibition matters because it challenges the art world's tendency to overlook Texas Latinx artists in favor of those from New York or California. By moving from community galleries in Texas to a museum in California—especially one founded by a beloved cultural figure like Cheech Marin—the show validates the project's success and expands its reach. For artists like Tina Medina, whose father's photograph is incorporated into her work, Marin's support provides a sense of belonging and representation that resonates deeply with Latinx communities across the U.S.