Unidad [Unity]
Primary
John M. Valadez
(Los Angeles, California, 1951–Los Angeles, California, present)
NationalityAmerican, North America
Place MadeLos Angeles, California, United States, North America
Date1978
MediumGraphite on mat board
DimensionsImage: 13 1/4 x 17 3/4 in. (33.7 x 45.1 cm)
Credit LineBlanton Museum of Art, The University of Texas at Austin, Gilberto Cárdenas Collection, Gift of Gilberto Cárdenas and Dolores Garcia, 2023.77
Rights Statement
Collection AreaPrints and Drawings
Object number2023.77
On View
Not on viewCollection Highlight
John Valadez is a prolific photographer, muralist, and draftsman known for his portraits of Los Angeles youth. Valadez based his illustrations on his own street photography throughout L.A.’s East Side neighborhoods. Influenced by American street photographer Lee Friedlander, Valadez sought to capture the societal realities and aesthetic of his Chicanx surroundings. For Unidad, Valadez overlays two contemporary Chicana youth, replete with the quintessential barrio accessories known as “chola bands,” against a detailed youthful representation of guitarist Lydia Mendoza. In this strategic pairing, Valadez celebrates Mexican American women from the everyday to the iconic, showcasing the legacy of feminist voices and their foundational impact, as well as the necessity of community unity and reflection.
Exhibitions
