Chicago Figurativo May 17, 2009

Chicago is home to the largest population of Mexican Americans in the Midwest. Proof of their presence and the diversity of the city are no more apparent than in the Pilsen neighborhood and its surrounding communities. The Museum would like its audience to experience a variety of figurative work by twelve Mexican American artists who have made Chicago their home. Our hope is that the viewer will deepen their understanding of Mexican identity from both sides of the border through the visual production of the selected artists, and how each one negotiates their way through the problematic and contradictory spaces in which they live, create and explore. It is paramount for the Museum to preserve and exhibit their voices in a time when immigration and transnationalism are most relevant.