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Lately, I haven’t felt like myself. In fact, the world around me feels almost unrecognizable more like a slow-motion apocalypse than the progressive society we were promised. Black Americans are still being targeted and killed by police — funded by our own tax dollars. Families fleeing violence are being torn apart at the U.S.-Mexico border. Babies are being held in cages. And in a stunning display of power obsession, the U.S. even threatened nations for supporting the right to breastfeed. This is the reality we wake up to. But in the midst of chaos, there are beacons of light. Artists like Harmonia Rosales and Criselda Vasquez remind us what it means to resist through beauty. They ground us offering balance, truth, and power through their purpose as artists of color.
Meet Chicana fine artist Criselda Vasquez, a bold Latinx artist redefining who belongs in the frame and who deserves to be seen.
An Ode To La Resistencia in Brush Strokes
Criselda Vasquez is a fine artist and activist. Criselda attended The San Francisco Art Institute to study art. By trade and by profession she is a working artist. In her paintings, Criselda accurately captures the faces of her family and those closest to her. In each brush stroke, each shadow, each touch of a different shade on her subjects’ faces tells a story of a hard life full of sacrifice and fight, a relatable pain most immigrants face as they leave loved ones, parents, and children alike, for a better life.
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“We deserve to be in galleries, not just as janitors or maintenance workers, but as subjects of admiration,” Vasquez told BoldLatina in a past interview.
Painting Power into the Margins
Vasquez’s portraits often feature her family members especially her mother and father depicted with quiet dignity, vibrant textures, and massive scale. By presenting everyday Latinx people in oil paintings reminiscent of European masters, she disrupts the idea of what “fine art” should look like and who it should represent.
Challenging Erasure in Art Spaces
Despite growing visibility, Latinx artists remain underrepresented in major U.S. art institutions. Vasquez uses her platform to spotlight this inequity and fight against cultural erasure.
Criselda's 'The New American Gothic", 2017 went viral for it's bold message of a swiftly changing USA demographic. Her masterful painting unmatched yet inspired by "American Gothic" by Grant Wood, 1930.
From her series on Latinx laborers to her self-portraits reflecting cultural identity and gender expectations, Vasquez's work is a political act of reclamation.
Where to See Criselda Vasquez’s Work
You can find Vasquez’s art in exhibitions across California, including community museums, cultural centers, and even murals in Boyle Heights. She’s also active on Instagram @criselda.vasquez, where she documents her process and uplifts other Latinx artists.
FOR PRINTS EMAIL: cvasquez.artist@gmail.com
