“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
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.
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EVA AGUILA: VINO DE SANGRE
EXHIBITION DATES: 04/26/2025 – 11/01/2025
In her first solo museum exhibition, artist Eva Aguila researches the history of the Mission grape and wine production in the Catholic Mission System to examine the effects of colonization in what was once “Nueva España,” now Mexico and California.
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ACT ON IT! ARTISTS, COMMUNITY, AND THE BROCKMAN GALLERY IN LOS ANGELES
EXHIBITION DATES: 09/27/2025 – 01/18/2026
Act on It! showcases dozens of works from the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) collection, capturing the aesthetic, political, and social statements encountered by Brockman Gallery visitors and underscoring the reach and lasting significance of the Davis brothers’ project.
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OFELIA ESPARZA: A RETROSPECTIVE
EXHIBITION DATES: 10/18/2025 – 04/18/2026
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.
VIEW DETAILSUpcoming Events
November 13, 2025
Erasure: Black Arts LA
Connect With VPAM
Get to know the artist: Ofelia Rivera Esparza is a Chicana artist, altarista, and educator from East Los Angeles.
⭐️ Esparza began building public altars in 1979 at Self Help Graphics & Art (@shg1970), where she also became a printmaker under the tutelage of Sister Karen Boccalero.
📓 She was an art teacher for 25 years in the Los Angeles Unified School District.
🎨 In 1999, at age 67, Esparza retired to pursue studio art full-time, producing hundreds of monotypes, an astounding output of printmaking throughout the late 1990s and 2000s.
🌹 Her diverse practice honors womanhood, Indigenous spirituality rooted in nature, and the dignity of her community.
Join us this Saturday, October 18 from 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM for the opening reception of “Ofelia Esparza: A Retrospective.” Enjoy specialty cocktails by @chicasontherocks and music. Free and open to the public!
Photo by @monicaorozcophotography.
We hope to see you at our opening reception for “Ofelia Esparza: A Retrospective” on Saturday, October 18 from 5:00 PM — 8:00 PM. Enjoy specialty cocktails by @chicasontherocks and music. Free and open to the public!
“Ofelia Esparza: A Retrospective” traces Esparza’s evolution as an artist and cultural matriarch whose vision and influence have profoundly shaped the trajectory of American art and culture. Learn more about her wide-ranging artistic practice, which includes drawing, painting, and printmaking.
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Images: Ofelia Esparza, “Arbol de Vida,” 1994, Monotype, 22 inches x 15 inches. Courtesy of the artist. Photo by Paul Salveson. Graphic by @cxlhuang.
“Ofelia Esparza: A Retrospective” is organized by the Vincent Price Art Museum at East Los Angeles College (@elachuskies). The exhibition is co-curated by Joseph Valencia (@hooligandisco) and Sybil Venegas with Gloria Ortega (@all_inbadtaste).
We’re thrilled to share 📣 THE BRAND NEW VPAM.ORG 📣
The new site was designed to be more user-friendly and engaging, making it easier for our community members and art lovers everywhere to learn about our exhibitions, programs, and initiatives.
Many thanks to support from the @perenchiofoundation, which made this re-design possible.
Design by Urban Insight. Thank you to Elizabeth Hinckley, President & Lead Consultant of DefCult, and VPAM staff for making this happen!
Only a couple of weeks away: Join us on Saturday, October 18 from 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM to celebrate the opening of “Ofelia Esparza: A Retrospective.”
The exhibition celebrates the life and work of Chicana artist, altarista, and educator Ofelia Esparza (@ofrenda1), whose cultural impact on East Los Angeles and beyond spans more than seven decades.
While Esparza is often celebrated for her altar-making, this exhibition brings overdue attention to her wide-ranging artistic practice, which includes drawing, painting, and printmaking. “Ofelia Esparza: A Retrospective” will be on view October 18, 2025 through April 18, 2026.
Tap the link in our bio for more information.
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Graphic by @cxlhuang. Image: Ofelia Esparza, “Moon Maiden, Birth of Corn,” 1996, Watercolor, 20 inches x 14 ¾ inches. Courtesy of the artist. Photo by Paul Salveson.
“Ofelia Esparza: A Retrospective” is organized by the Vincent Price Art Museum at East Los Angeles College (@elachuskies) and co-curated by Joseph Valencia (@hooligandisco) and Sybil Venegas with Gloria Ortega (@all_inbadtaste).
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
October 16, 2025
At 93 years old, LA artist who helped popularize Day of the Dead gets her first solo show
LAist
October 10, 2025
For Ofelia Esparza, ‘It’s always been about community.’ Now East LA pays tribute to her legacy
Boyle Heights Beat
October 2, 2025
10 Art Shows to See in Los Angeles This October
Hyperallergic
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.