Art on Main in East Dallas is hosting "Chicano," a massive group exhibition featuring 79 works by 58 artists from the Dallas-Fort Worth area and beyond. Curated by Junanne Peck and Ariel Esquivel, the show spans painting, photography, metal sculpture, and printmaking to explore themes of identity, resilience, and the lived experiences of the Mexican-American community. Highlights include Rodrigo Paredes’ tribute to street vendors and Lisa Batchelder’s surrealist explorations of her Oak Cliff upbringing.
The exhibition serves as a significant cultural intervention by providing a platform for underrepresented voices in the Texas art scene. By moving beyond traditional gallery abstractions to focus on the "gritty reality" of daily life—including lowrider culture and the labor of the working class—the curators aim to foster visibility and healing. It marks a personal and political effort to document Chicano history and ensure these cultural roots are recognized within the broader contemporary art narrative.