Los Angeles City Hall is currently hosting a new art exhibition celebrating Latino Heritage Month, featuring nineteen works from the AltaMed Art Collection. Titled “Corazón de Los Ángeles: The Art of Chicano Politics & Community Healing,” the free exhibit is designed to honor the significant impact and role Chicano art has played in shaping the city’s cultural and political identity. It also spotlights art’s capacity to build connections, foster belonging, and actively contribute to community well-being, particularly within Los Angeles’ diverse neighborhoods.
City Councilwoman Imelda Padilla, who serves as the madrina for this year’s El Grito celebration, partnered with AltaMed Health Services and various city departments to bring the exhibition to City Hall. Padilla articulated her intent for this year’s celebration to reflect the vibrant diversity of the Latino community in Los Angeles and to acknowledge the essential people who are vital to the city’s daily operations. This includes the hardworking residents who keep the city moving, the small-business owners creating local opportunities, community leaders advocating for their neighbors, families breathing life into urban communities, and the artists who eloquently share their stories. Padilla added that the exhibition directly supports this overall vision by "placing our culture front and center" and by celebrating the artists, narratives, and profound experiences that have significantly helped shape the dynamic character of Los Angeles.
The curated collection highlights images, individuals, places, and moments that vividly illustrate Los Angeles’ rich history and culture, with pieces spanning multiple generations of artistic expression. Among the distinct artworks on display are Oscar R. Castillo’s “Brown Beret Women Protesting” from 1969, Ester Hernández’s “La Virgen de Guadalupe Defendiendo Los Derechos de Los Xicanos” from 1975, Alfredo de Batuc’s “Comet Over City Hall” created in 1985, and José González’s “Una Vida Mejor” from 2012. These thought-provoking works are presented alongside contributions from other notable Chicano and Chicana artists, collectively showcasing the intricate intersection of art, culture, community, and civic life that deeply defines the city.
AltaMed Health Services expressed its honor in collaborating with the city to share these particular works from its extensive art collection and to celebrate artists whose creative contributions have profoundly shaped Los Angeles for generations. Susana Smith Bautista, AltaMed’s Chief Curator and AVP for Arts and Wellness, noted that AltaMed has long understood that health and well-being extend far beyond clinical settings. Bautista emphasized art's crucial role in a holistic approach to care, explaining that it fosters connection, strengthens a sense of belonging, and helps communities see their own experiences and shared histories reflected meaningfully in their surroundings.
The "Corazón de Los Ángeles" exhibition is open to the public Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is located at the Henry P. Rio Bridge Gallery, found on the third floor of Los Angeles City Hall.