Loyola Marymount University’s Laband Art Gallery is presenting “Seeing Chicanx: The Durón Family Collection,” a fall 2025 exhibition on view from September 25 to December 6. Curated by scholar Karen Mary Davalos, the show features nearly 50 works by Chicanx artists from Southern California, drawn from the private collection of alumni Armando Durón and Mary Salinas Durón. The exhibition spans the 1970s to the present, including paintings, drawings, photography, and sculptures by artists such as Roberto Gutierrez, Judy Baca, Chaz Bójorquez, Gilbert “Maju” Luján, and Shizu Saldamando. Originally shown at the Monterey Museum of Art in 2024, the traveling exhibition aims to challenge stereotypes and provide a visual history of the Chicanx art scene in Los Angeles.
This exhibition matters because it highlights the role of Latinx arts patrons in reshaping cultural narratives. The Duróns, described as “citizen collectors,” have amassed over 700 works since the early 1980s, using their collection to counter dominant representations of Mexican-heritage communities. By hosting the show at LMU, the university celebrates two distinguished alumni and reconnects with former faculty member Davalos, reinforcing the importance of institutional support for underrepresented art histories. The exhibition underscores how private collecting can drive social change and elevate Chicanx art within the broader American cultural landscape.