LONG BEACH, Calif. — The Museum of Latin American Art (MOLAA) in Long Beach is hosting the 15th annual Latino Comics Expo on December 5 and 6, showcasing a growing community of Latino artists and underscoring the institution’s commitment to representing Latin American and Latino cultures in the United States. The event is part of MOLAA’s 30th anniversary celebrations and features a lineup of illustrators, workshops, and panel discussions aimed at elevating Latino voices in the arts.
Among the highlights at this year’s expo is Javier Hernandez’s comic series “El Muerto the Aztec Zombie,” which blends superhero themes with Latino cultural elements. Hernandez, a co-founder of the expo, noted the positive reception to Latino protagonists, emphasizing the importance of visibility for Latino representation in media.
The expo will take place within MOLAA’s galleries, which currently feature exhibitions spanning mid-20th-century Latin American geometric art by artists such as Cuban painter Lolo Soledad Villa, alongside works exploring spirituality by Wilfredo Lam and David Alfaro Siqueiros. The museum has recently presented high-profile exhibitions, including one by Mexican mixed-media artist Betsabeé Romero, shown at the 2024 Venice Biennale before being brought to Long Beach.
MOLAA, the only U.S. museum devoted exclusively to modern and contemporary Latin American and Latino art, attracts approximately 75,000 visitors annually. It organizes a variety of cultural events, such as Pride, Afro-Latinx celebrations, and Day of the Dead observances, alongside educational programming. These efforts take place amid ongoing political challenges affecting Latino communities, including increased immigration enforcement.
Established in 1996 from the collection of Dr. Robert Gumbiner, MOLAA has faced periods of financial instability and leadership changes. Its current focus includes broadening its scope beyond Latin American countries to include significant Chicano art, following a 2014 policy shift influenced by collectors like Armando Duron and comedian Cheech Marin. This change acknowledges Southern California’s historical role in the Chicano civil rights movement and the region’s vibrant Mexican American cultural heritage.
Since this shift, MOLAA has showcased the work of prominent Chicano artists such as Frank Romero, Judith Hernandez, and Judy Baca, and has worked to reflect the diversity within Latin American diasporas. Gabriela Urtiaga, the museum’s chief curator, described Latin America as a complex and heterogeneous cultural reality spanning 33 countries and territories.
In late 2023, MOLAA undertook a controversial deaccessioning of 44 artworks and donated pieces, raising around $200,000 to acquire art that enhances representation of women and Chicano artists. Lourdes I. Ramos-Rivas, MOLAA’s president, stressed that proceeds from the sale were reinvested to fill collection gaps, including works by Ana Mendieta, Beatriz González, Laura Aguilar, and others.
The museum also emphasizes community engagement, offering free Sunday admission, bilingual materials, and partnerships with local schools. It acts as a cultural hub, hosting blood and food drives and exhibiting artwork created by unaccompanied migrant children detained in Long Beach. Political cartoonist Lola Alcaraz, participating in the expo, highlighted the importance of using art to foster understanding and solidarity across cultural lines.
Looking ahead, MOLAA aims to raise $125 million for a major expansion that will include publicly accessible storage for its collection, enhanced research opportunities, and expanded educational facilities. The Latino Comics Expo continues to grow alongside these institutional developments, increasing its roster from a dozen artists at its inception to more than 50 today.
As Marin noted, providing space for Latino and Chicano artists to share their stories is vital to enriching the cultural landscape and fostering inclusion within the broader art world.