Malaquías Montoya (born 1938)^[1] is an American-born Chicano poster artist who was a major figure in the Chicano Art Movement of the 1960s and 1970s.

Early life and teaching

Montoya was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico.^[2] He was raised by a single mother in a family of migrant farm workers (including brother, José Montoya) in California's Central Valley. He joined the U.S. Marines and through the G.I. Bill was able to attend the University of California at Berkeley.^[3] In 1968, Montoya founded the Mexican-American Liberation Art Front and was "arguably the most influential Chicano artist collective in the movement".^[4] He learned the art of silkscreening while working for a commercial printer.^[5]

Since then he has taught at UC Berkeley, Stanford University, California College of Arts and Crafts, University of Notre Dame, and University of Texas, San Antonio. Since 1989 Montoya has held a professorship at the University of California, Davis, teaching both in the department of Art and the department of Chicana/o Studies.^[2]

Art works

Montoya is known for incorporating social justice themes in his work. In 2006 he completed a series of paintings and screenprints on the death penalty which referenced those killed by the death penalty from Ethel and Julius Rosenberg,^[6] to Jesus Christ. Other themes include immigration, the zapatista movement, Palestine, and others.

Montoya has produced substantial work on the issue of immigration. He produced the print “Immigrant’s Dream (2004)” which shows a faceless figure covered completely in the American flag with serves as a bag with a tag labeled “undocumented.”^[7] This print presented the horrific reality of what becomes of the coveted American Dream. Another print titled, “Undocumented” includes a man trapped in barbed wire with the word undocumented written in red with blood dripping across his body.^[8] The barbed wire is representative of the physical barrier of the US Mexico Border migrants encounter when crossing the border. In addition the captivity of the man within the barbed wire is metaphorical for the emotional suffering due to migration. Montoya’s art is evident of social justice themes that expose the realities of marginalized communities that can make people uncomfortable.^[9]

Activism

Montoya’s activism was shaped by his exposure to the Chicano movement which incorporated ideals of resistance and cultural affirmation. This movement had an emphasis on civil rights for Mexican Americans and raising political, economic, and social consciousness.^[10] He became part of the Mexican American Student Confederation (MASC) and produced leaflets and posters to empower the community and raise awareness about the cause. He demonstrated solidarity with fellow activists by distributing UFW buttons and bumper stickers. Moreover, he participated in MASC sit ins which were organized to demand University of California, Berkeley to include a Mexican American Studies course of study and requested that the administration demonstrate solidarity with the UFW’s grape boycott.^[11]

At Berkeley, Montoya was actively involved with advocacy organizations by contributing art to their mobilization efforts. He continued his poster making collaboration with the UFW in Berkeley. One of his famous works for the UFW was the poster with a central message of “Support the Farmworkers War” asking for donations of food and clothing. The color palette includes bold colors such as red, black, and yellow and bold lettering with the intention of demanding attention to support the labor movement which is referred to as a war effort. The inverted Aztec eagle (UFW logo) is covering three faceless and barely identifiable figures.^[12] In his UFW poster, he represented the farmworker families as advocating for their rights to frame the discourse on the struggle of marginalized communities. Montoya was also linked to the Third World Liberation Front (TWLF) advocacy efforts seeking to establish a separate Third World College that would enhance representation for minorities including African Americans, Chicanos, Asians, and Native Americans.^[13] His involvement in the TWLF provided an invaluable perspective on mobilization such as learning about “coalition politics” which conveyed that collaboration between groups with overlapping interests could be a powerful force to enact change.^[14] There was an emphasis on the shared struggle which he sought to include in his posters of mobilization. In this wide array of posters, he used the terms “Huelga” (strike) to emphasize the resistance and would use "Unidos" to suggest a form of solidarity between various disenfranchised groups. In addition, his TWLF posters include faceless or unrecognizable figures to suggest that this is a collective fight against power. His time at Berkeley shaped him as an artist as he began to merge politics with aesthetics with the intention of participating in activism at the local and international level.

Current life and exhibits

In 2023, Montoya, 85 years old and residing with his wife Lezlie Salkowitz-Montoya in Solano County, Northern California, created a sizable mural at the UC Davis Student Community Center. Montoya holds the view that the artist's role in the community remains unchanged despite technological advancements and the prevalence of social media. He asserts, "I perceive their role to be constant; the artist's task is to articulate the issues presented to us in a convoluted manner, enabling people to comprehend the role they need to fulfill. I believe the cultural worker's responsibility is to interpret information from those in power and present it back to the community in a clearer form."^[15]

Montoya who retired from the Department of Chicana/o Studies as a Full Professor, and is professor emeritus, at the University of California, Davis, has several of his pieces being showcased in various museums.

Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem Museum of Art opened the retrospective Malaquias Montoya and the Legacies of a Printed Resistance. The exhibition was curated by Claudia Zapata, guest curator and it will be on view from October 1, 2023, to May 6, 2024.^[16] Yo Soy Chicano is part of an homage to Malaquías Montoya and the legacy he has shaped. The current exhibitions primarily feature prints and posters, but a significant aspect of his influence stems from murals produced in collaboration with the UC Davis mural class. When questioned about having gallery representation, Montoya replied, "My gallery extends from Lake Merritt to 87th Street (in Oakland). You can encounter my creations on utility poles and building facades. The intention was for people to encounter my work as they drive through the neighborhood or stroll to the grocery store".^[17]

The Oakland Museum of California also honors Malaquías Montoya by exhibiting, Por el Pueblo: The Legacy and Influence of Malaquías Montoya, which will be on view from October 6, 2023, to June 30, 2024.^[18] Por el Pueblo acknowledges Malaquías Montoya's role as a founding figure and leader within the Chicano Arts Movement, examining how his impact persists through present-day activist artists. Montoya gained prominence for his silkscreen print posters that address social justice issues. During the 1960s and 70s, a period when printmaking became a favored medium for activist artists, it facilitated more accessible, affordable, and efficient poster production. Similar to Montoya in his early years, contemporary artists still face marginalization from the mainstream due to their identities and their commitment to speaking truth to power. Beyond highlighting Montoya's work and ongoing influence, Por el Pueblo underscores the efforts of current artists who are amplifying the voices of marginalized communities, with a particular focus on queer individuals and Chicanas.^[19]

References

External links

Wikiquote has quotations related to Malaquías Montoya.

• Malaquías Montoya Official Website
• Montoya at Galeria de la Raza