On August 14th, 2024, the Moreno Valley and Indio Independent Study Sites teamed up to visit the The Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art & Culture in Riverside.
The museum is a collaboration between the Riverside Art Museum and actor Cheech Marin, one of the world’s major collectors of Chicano art. This private-collection-gone-public gives the community the opportunity to learn and engage with art that reflects contemporary culture.
The group got to tour both the Riverside Art Museum (RAM) and the Cheech. They learned about the history of both the art and architecture. Students gained a deeper understanding of the different exhibits as they toured the two museums. There were many interesting exhibitions the students got to tour from a small James Baldwin exhibition to a colorful Barbie-pink space.
At The Cheech, students were able to see contemporary art by Latino artists in various mediums. Several bright paintings adorned the halls and students took the opportunity to take lots of photos and point out their favorites.
Students were especially impressed by the large lenticular mural at the entrance to the museum.
During the tour, the students also had the opportunity to attend an art session and create their own art piece. Students explored their own artistic side as they created their creatures with bright pastels.
The day ended with a nice picnic lunch and discussion of all the art pieces the students viewed and photographed. Students had a great day experiencing the cultural heritage their community has to offer.
Thank you to Ms. Vasquez for sharing this trip with us, Ms. De La Cruz for booking the experience and everyone who made it possible for our students to attend!