“A jewel of a museum, tucked away in East LA, showing NEXT LEVEL artists with roots in LA.
There isn’t aNOTHER ONE quite like it.”
Catherine B., Sierra Madre
ON VIEW
OFELIA ESPARZA: A RETROSPECTIVE
EXHIBITION DATES: 10/18/2025 – 05/16/2026
Widely recognized as one of California’s most revered folk artists with a cultural impact spanning more than seven decades, Esparza helped bring the cherished traditions of Mexican altar-making and Día de los Muertos into the American mainstream, beginning in the 1970s, through her work with community arts center Self Help Graphics & Art in Boyle Heights.
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DEL ALMA: LATINA PORTRAITS FROM THE VINCENT PRICE ART MUSEUM @ The Music Center
EXHIBITION DATES: 04/13/2024 – 05/31/2026
Del Alma: Latina Portraits from the Vincent Price Art Museum presents an intergenerational group of portraits by Los Angeles-based Latina artists, who collectively explore portraiture and cultural identity through diverse forms of creative expression.
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Form and Function in the Ancient Americas
Our ongoing permanent exhibition
Form and Function in the Ancient Americas highlights the wide range of cultures represented in our Ancient American collection. Cultures from the Nayarit-Jalisco-Colima region of West Mexico (2000 – 1000 BCE) to the Chimú of Peru (900-1500 CE) are featured.
VIEW DETAILSUpcoming Events
March 7, 2026
Watercolor and Crayon Resist Workshop
April 18, 2026
Poetry Writing Workshop: The Words We Carry
April 25, 2026
“New Voices” opening reception
May 9, 2026
Ofelia Esparza Closing Celebration
student opportunities
Students: Submit to New Voices, the East Los Angeles College-focused student art exhibition. Submissions are open now through February 27, 2026.
Connect With VPAM
“Defenders of Mother Earth,” designed by Ofelia Esparza and her daughter, Rosanna Esparza Ahrens, commemorates environmental activists around the world who have lost their lives fighting for important causes.
Among them is Berta Cáceres, an Honduran activist who co-founded the National Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras (@copinh). Berta led a significant resistance movement against the construction of the Agua Zarca Dam. The dam was planned without consulting the Indigenous Lenca community, and Berta fought to prevent it from becoming a reality.
The dam’s construction was suspended, but Berta was murdered in 2016 for her activism. This week marks both Berta’s birth date and the day she passed.
Ofelia’s altar pays homage to her important story through elements like flowers and corn, which evoke the Mayan creation story and symbolize life and renewal. The altar uplifts Berta’s important story and shifts our focus away from her death, honoring instead the power of her life. Berta continues to inspire hope, resilience, and care for our beloved Mother Earth. On this day we proudly honor her memory. Berta Cáceres presente!
See the altar on view in “Ofelia Esparza: A Retrospective” through May 18, 2026.
Photos by Paul Salveson.
Opening April 14, 2026: “Always Running: Photography by Luis J. Rodriguez” marks the 30th anniversary of Chicano poet, novelist, journalist, and community leader Luis J. Rodriguez’s acclaimed memoir. See rare and unpublished photographs that highlight the people and neighborhoods that influenced his life. 📸
In “Always Running: La Vida Loca, Gang Days in L.A.,” Rodriguez chronicles his experiences with violence, addiction, recovery, and personal transformation. As a photographer, he documented Chicana/o youth and gang culture from his unique vantage point.
Today, Rodriguez serves as a mentor and community leader, inspiring youth through his work at Tía Chucha’s Centro Cultural & Bookstore, which he co-founded. In lieu of an opening reception, a town hall at East Los Angeles College will be held on Tuesday May 5. An exhibition walkthrough will also take place on Saturday, June 13. Details to be announced soon.
Visit the exhibition April 14 through June 13, 2026. Learn more at the link in our bio. ↑
“Always Running: Photography by Luis. J Rodriguez” is a traveling exhibition curated by artist and photographer Noé Montes in collaboration with Tía Chucha’s Centro Cultural & Bookstore. This presentation is organized by Noé Montes and Gloria Ortega (@all_inbadtaste), Curatorial Assistant.
All exhibitions and programs at the Vincent Price Art Museum are underwritten by the Vincent Price Art Museum Foundation and East Los Angeles College (@elachuskies).
ELAC students: Only a few days left to submit to "New Voices," the East Los Angeles College student art exhibition. Applications are available through Friday, February 27, 2026 at 4:00 PM PST. Artworks will be reviewed and selected by curator, educator, and writer Jheanelle Brown (@jheaneeeeeelle).
Visit vpam.slideroom.com for complete details! Or tap the link in our bio ↑
On Saturday, March 7 at 1:00 PM, join us at VPAM for a free, family art-making workshop inspired by the watercolor and crayon resist artworks of Ofelia Esparza. 🎨
Drawing from Esparza’s approach as both an artist and educator, families will explore this expressive technique—combining crayon and watercolor—to create vibrant images. Led by teaching artist Cynthia Huerta (@lovewithjoyart) of Love with Joy Art Club, this hands-on workshop invites participants of all ages and stages to create together.
Free to attend and all ages welcome! RSVP at the link in our bio.
Image: Ofelia Esparza, “Summer Blooms,” 1988. Watercolor and crayon resist on paper. 18 x 12 inches. Courtesy of the artist. Photo courtesy of Cynthia Huerta. Graphic by @cxlhuang.
DonatE
The Vincent Price Art Museum is a cherished educational and cultural resource for local residents, students, artists, and arts supporters. When you donate to the VPAM Foundation, our fundraising organization, you join a community of supporters who are passionate about sustaining a dynamic museum that is making a transformative impact in the arts.
IN THE NEWS
December 3, 2025
See Ofelia Esparza’s dazzling altars at VPAM
KCRW
November 5, 2025
For Ofelia Esparza, ‘It’s always been about community.’ Now East LA pays tribute to her legacy
Boyle Heights Beat
November 5, 2025
At 93 years old, LA artist who helped popularize Day of the Dead gets her first solo show
LAist
STAY VPAM INFORMED!
Our monthly newsletter is a great resource for all VPAM happenings including exhibitions, free programming and more.
All exhibitions are underwritten by the Vincent Price Art Museum Foundation and East Los Angeles College.
Cover Photo credit: Monica Orozco.