Yermo Aranda, “Quetzal and the Eagle”

On View: Wednesday, January 14 - Friday, February 20, 2026

First Friday Reception: February 6, 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

55 YEARS OF CULTURAL MEMORY AND MURAL LEGACY

For more than five decades, Yermo Aranda has devoted his life to creating art that honors community, ancestry, and the living spirit of culture. As one of the central figures in California’s mural movement, Aranda’s creative practice extends far beyond public walls — encompassing a rich body of drawings, color studies, and studio works that reveal the evolution of his vision and philosophy.

This retrospective brings together over 55 years of his artistic journey — including mural studies, sketches, and a monumental six-foot-high by twenty-foot-wide mural on canvas — alongside paintings and drawings created between mural projects. Each piece embodies the artist’s deep reverence for the natural world and his Mexican and Indigenous roots. Through themes such as Created from Plants, Sacredness of Animals, Relationship with Fire, and Respect Our Elders, Aranda reflects on the interconnection between humanity, nature, and spirit.

His art reminds us that to paint is to remember — to give form to stories and values that sustain generations. The murals, both public and intimate, stand as visual testaments to the resilience and pride of cultural identity. This exhibition celebrates not only Aranda’s mastery of form and color, but also his enduring message: that creativity is a bridge between tradition and the future.