The word ‘Chicano(a)’ was first used as a derogatory term used towards lower income Mexicans living in the United States. Though originally used as a classist and racist slur, by the 1940’s, Chicano was being reclaimed as a term of pride by Mexican Americans who have a non-Anglo self-image. The title of this exhibit, Borderline: Chicano Voices Speak, was intentionally chosen to engage those very discussions – racism, division, identity and cultural pride.

Borderline: Chicano Voices Speak will feature the voices of Mexican, Mexican-American, and Latino(a) artists whose work also expresses the immigrant experience. The word “borderline” also relates to multiple aspects of this exhibit – a physical division of countries, a social separation of cultural groups, and a psychic division of identities producing the ‘othering’ of people.

This exhibit will feature Juan Fuentes, Carlos Barberena, Celeste de Luna, J. Leigh Garcia, Frank Estrada, Diego Marical Rios, Eugene Rodriguez, Fernando Marti, and Raoul Deal.
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Hours: Tuesday-Friday 9am-5pm; Saturday 10am-5 pm
Admission: $5 for adults, $3 for students, Free for TVAA members

This centennial exhibition celebrates the legacy of Carlos Cortéz Koyokuikatl (1923-2005), one of Chicago’s most important social justice artists working in the 20th century. Often a poet, often a printmaker, but always an activist, Cortéz’s life’s work uplifted the working class, marginalized communities, and social struggles by depicting scenes of labor disputes, protests, and ignored historical events and individuals.  
Carlos Cortéz, an artist, poet, labor journalist, citizen activist, conscientious objector and Elder in his community, would have been 100-years-old in August 2023. He continues to hold an exceptionally dear place in the hearts of many artists and organizers, and in the history of the National Museum of Mexican Art. Cortéz used his printing press, Gato Negro, as a means to communicate messages of justice, activism, and solidarity, while his poetry repeatedly aimed to raise awareness, provoke thought, and inspire action regarding issues of inequality and oppression.

The National Museum of Mexican Art is honored to be the steward of the Carlos Cortéz Archives.
Curated by Cesáreo Moreno

Participating Artists
Jesús Acuña, Saúl Aguirre, Atlan Arceo-Witzl, Rene H. Arceo, Carlos Barberena, Arturo Barrera, Margaret T. Burroughs (1915-2010), Carlos Cortéz (1923-2005), Nicolás De Jesús, Héctor Duarte, Mark Ernst, Eric J. García, Eric Gasca, José Luis Gutiérrez, Salvador Jiménez -Flores, Sam Kirk, Edgar López, Faheem Majeed, Cynthia Marris, Nicole Marroquin, Alfredo Martínez Galván, Oscar Moya, Mark Nelson, Antonio Pazarán, Zeke Peña, John Pitman Weber, Eufemio Pulido, Elvia Rodríguez, Favianna Rodríguez, Anna Marie Sánchez Varela, Janet Schill, CHema Skandal!, Diana Solís, Maria Cristina Tavera, Benjamín P. Varela, Salvador Vega, Roman Villarreal, Mirtez Zwierzynski
Photographers
José “Fugi” Almanza, Sandra Cisneros, Alex “Sunheart” Galindo, J. Gómez, Allan Lee Koss, Mimi Rivera, Jeffry D. Scott, Gordon Wagner.