Selections from the Santa Paula Art Museum’s Collection Celebrate Mexican and Mexican-American Contributions
Exhibition Opening Reception
Friday, Sept. 12, 2025 | 5:00–7:30 PM
Mexican Consulate, 3151 W. 5th Street, Oxnard, CA 93030
Free and open to the public
For more information, please visit www.theopac.org
OXNARD — The Santa Paula Art Museum and the Oxnard Performing Arts Center Corporation (OPAC) have announced the opening of Anonymous Heroes / Héroes Anónimos, a special exhibition presented in partnership with the Santa Paula Art Museum and the Consulate of Mexico in Oxnard and curated by Rafael Perea de la Cabada. The exhibition will be on view at the Mexican Consulate, 3151 W. 5th St. in Oxnard, from September 12, 2025, through January 16, 2026.
Anonymous Heroes / Héroes Anónimos highlights 29 selections from the Santa Paula Art Museum’s permanent collection, paying tribute to the resilience, creativity, and essential contributions of our farm workers. These “everyday heroes,” often unrecognized in historybooks, have shaped the cultural and economic fabric of Ventura County and beyond. Artists featured include: Carlos Almaraz, Judy Baca, Cornelis Botke, Sergio Hernandez, TonyJankowski, Xavier Montes, John Nichols, Gail Pidduck, Wihimina Puisifer, Kay B. Snodgrass, Eloy Torres, and Robert von Sternberg.
“Each image and artwork in this exhibition reminds us that behind every cultivated field and harvest lies a story of sacrifice, perseverance, and love for family,” reflects Ricardo Santana Velázquez, Consul of Mexico in Oxnard. “These are the stories of women and men who,even amid the challenges of the migratory context, continue to sow the future with their hands and unwavering spirit.”
“The exhibition Héroes Anónimos is a beautiful example of the power of partnership,” said Jennifer Heighton, Executive Director of the Santa Paula Art Museum. “By sharing worksfrom our collection at the Mexican Consulate, we are not only honoring the stories and traditions represented in the art, but also creating a meaningful connection between our institutions and the communities we serve.”
The exhibition holds particular resonance in Oxnard, a city deeply rooted in farm working and immigrant traditions. By presenting these works in the heart of the community, the exhibition invites reflection, recognition, and celebration of those whose labor and spiritsustain Ventura County.