Ofelia Esparza: A Retrospective

Vincent Price Art Museum, October 18, 2025 – April 18, 2026

Curated by Joseph Valencia and Sybil Venegas with Gloria Ortega

Ofelia Esparza: A Retrospective celebrates the life and work of Chicana artist, altarista, and educator Ofelia Esparza (1932–), whose cultural impact on East Los Angeles and beyond spans more than seven decades. Widely recognized as one of California’s most revered folk artists, Esparza helped bring the traditions of Mexican altar-making and Día de los Muertos into the American mainstream beginning in the late 1970s through her work with the community arts center Self Help Graphics in Boyle Heights. As a sixth-generation altar maker who carries forward a tradition inherited from her maternal lineage, Esparza has shared this sacred practice with her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and countless members of the general public. This exhibition recreates a selection of iconic altars made by Esparza and her family, accompanied by a major survey of artworks spanning her career since 1945.

While Esparza is often celebrated for her altar-making, Ofelia Esparza: A Retrospective brings overdue attention to her wide-ranging visual arts practice, which includes drawing, painting, and printmaking. These artworks reflect her lifelong commitment to creative experimentation, and many intersect with the social and political movements of her time, including the Chicano Movement, the United Farm Workers Movement, and broader struggles for social and environmental justice. Through original artworks, installations, and archival materials, this exhibition traces Esparza’s evolution as an artist, teacher, and cultural matriarch whose vision and influence have profoundly shaped the trajectory of American art and culture.