Moving forward into the gallery, the first thing you will approach on your right hand side is the Land Acknowledgement text. The Land Acknowledgement reads:
OXY ARTS sits on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Gabrielino/Tongva peoples. We acknowledge the Gabrielino/Tongva as the original caretakers of Tova Angaar, which spans LA County, parts of Northern Orange County and the Southern Channel Islands. We pay our respects to the Honuukvetam (Ancestors), ‘Ahiihirom (Elders) and ‘Eyoohiinkem (our relatives/relations) past, present and emerging.
This acknowledgement is only a small part of the OXY ARTS’ larger commitment to deepening the relationships with our community of Gabrielino/Tongva neighbors, centering truth, healing, reconciliation and elevating the multigenerational cultural vibrancy of our community's First Peoples.
This is the end of the Land Acknowledgement text. This is the last of the text on this wall.
Moving forward into the gallery, the next thing you will approach on your left hand side is the curatorial text. The curatorial text reads:
“Waning Crescent; a meztli project group show” is written cursive in black, against a light gray waning crescent moon. Underneath to the left the exhibition dates are written: June 12 - July 19, 2025.
Directly below the exhibition dates is the list of exhibiting artists, written in a black font. The artists’ names are listed in two columns organized alphabetically by last name:
|
Rihanna Barrera |
Kenneth Lopez |
|
CJ Calica |
Kimberly Robertson |
|
Emilia Cruz |
Aanii Tate |
|
Joel Garcia |
Alexandria Ybarra |
|
River Garza |
Isaac Michael Ybarra |
|
Skyler Green |
|
To the right of the exhibiting artist list is additional text regarding the works in the exhibition, which reads:
"Waning Crescent: a meztli projects group show" celebrates the journey of meztli projects in supporting Native and Indigenous artists. The exhibition features works created between 2024 and today by artists engaged in their collaborative ecosystem. These pieces signify a new phase for the artists, showcasing growth into new creative realms. For instance, River Garza and Emilia Cruz have evolved toward sculptural work, Kimberly Robertson's intricate beadwork creations into large beaded tapestries, and Kenneth Lopez's documentary photography blended into woven visions.
Meztli, the Nahuatl word for "moon," symbolizes the various phases of this collective's approach to cultivating relationships with young Indigenous artists, culture bearers, and the general public. They take time to reflect on important values such as stewardship, the significance of re indigenizing spaces and technologies, and the deep connection between ceremony and art-making. Their work reflects the changing seasons and responds to the current moment.
A Waning Crescent represents the small sliver of the moon visible just before it enters the New Moon phase. This exhibition symbolizes what lies ahead for meztli projects and highlights their partnership with OXY ARTS, which has hosted various creative efforts and exemplifies a nurturing, reciprocal relationship for Indigenous artists and institutional spaces.
This exhibition is curated by meztli projects, an Indigenous-based arts and culture collaborative.
This is the end of the curatorial text. This is the last of the text on this wall.
Moving clockwise to the next wall, you will approach the first work in the gallery.
The first work in the gallery is Moč (Color), by Kenneth Lopez. The work is a rectangle photograph with blue handwoven pieces. There are two circles in the middle, one is smaller inside the larger circle. Tents surround the inside of the circle, and the outer parts of the circle contain woven pieces.Roads, trees, and cars are photographs with multimedia pieces of blue woven between the photographs. The blue pieces extend past the picture and contain birds. On the corners of the picture frame is a black background.
The wall label reads:
Kenneth Lopez
Mixteco
Moč (Color), 2025
Moč (color; probably from mon “to paint” + -š “passive”) is meant to give you a glimpse into the space known as Wištoyo, A space where I got to experience not only the impact but also how beautiful it is when community comes together ( “uš’išmoč” in Šmuwič) and stands up for the same purpose. The blue sky woven into a pattern meant to look like ocean waves is my way of showing the beauty of the connections made that day, while the unwoven strands are meant to serve as a representation of the hopes and dreams of those who were standing united. Wištoyo, the Šmuwič word for rainbow, serves as a “rainbow bridge” linking Chumash culture, wisdom, and values to present day protection of natural cultural resources.
Translations come from “Integrated Dictionary of Schmuwich- Barbareño Chumash” by Richard Applegate, Ph.D.
This is the end of the wall label.
Then, moving clockwise in the gallery you will approach the second work in the gallery.
The second piece in the gallery is a solo exhibition. The work is titled WHAT WE LEAVE, WHAT WE KEEP by CJ Calica. This work is a solo exhibition, taking up the entirety of the room. This exhibition is a re-creation of a bedroom. Under the wall label is a desk with belongings on it. There is a phone, books, a fan, games, and other personal items and pictures. To the right of the desk is a bookshelf, that has five shelves, containing personal objects such as stuffed animals, candles, books, and cds. Hanging on the wall to the right of the bookshelf is a deer with antlers. Below the deer is a sweatshirt with the print; WHAT WE LEAVE, WHAT WE KEEP with 8 faces printed on the front. Moving counterclockwise around the room projected onto the wall between two hanging curtains is an image of a window. The projected window is looking into a grassy green field, and to the left of the window is a ladder. Under the window is a blue trunk, sitting on the blue trunk are two speakers and a cd player. Stacked on the speakers are a compilation of CDs, including the Monkees, Bee gees Greatest, The Cars, This Fire, and many more.In the corner of the room located on the right of the window is a leather chair facing outwards. Moving to the right is a desk and lamp with pictures and books spread out on the surface. Pushed up against the wall is a made bed with a wooden frame and a blanket with flowers on it covers the bed. The centerpiece of this exhibition are photos spread out on the wall in saloon style behind the bed. Photos include various people in their bedrooms/spaces in their homes. The pictures feature many different people doing activities in spaces that are safe to them. Some of the pictures include people making art, playing instruments, or laying down in their beds. To the right of the bed in the corner is a monitor, a share with a studded animal sitting on it, and a crate filled with various cds.
The wall label reads:
CJ Calica
What We Leave, What We Keep, 2025
Inkjet prints on archival paper
“What We Leave What We Keep is a personal reflection on memory, identity, and the
emotional landscapes we build within our homes. Shot between February and April
2025, this series began as an attempt to better understand the people closest to me, my
friends, chosen family, and loved ones, through the spaces they inhabit and the things
they hold onto.
Each photograph captures a room just as it is: lived in, layered, and revealing. I didn’t
ask anyone to clean up or rearrange. Instead, I looked for quiet signs of care, grief, joy,
and nostalgia. A half burned candle. A pile of laundry. A photo taped to the wall. These
moments, though small, speak volumes. They remind me of how we express love, how
we grieve, how we hold on to the past while making space for the present.
This project is also about what isn’t visible. What has been taken, hidden, or forgotten.
Through this work, I tried to slow down and notice what remained. Small gestures
of survival, inheritance, and identity woven into our homes. This is not just a
documentation of interiors. It is a portrait of the people who live there, of the stories
their objects carry, and of the tenderness found in the everyday.”
CJ Calica is a multimedia artist based in Los Angeles who tells stories through
sketching, photography, and how they respond to space. Their work is shaped
by cultural memory, personal experience, and the emotions tied to places. CJ
explores themes like identity, silence between generations, resilience, and the
search for belonging. CJ is currently pursuing a degree in Criminal Justice at Cal
State LA and actively contributes to curating and developing community-driven
projects that foster connections to both personal and collective histories, while
engaging in cultural enrichment and outreach efforts. Their art is a testament
to the power of creating space for reflection, feeling, and connection, bridging
personal growth with collective experience.
This is the end of the exhibiting artist and curatorial wall text.
Then, moving across the first gallery space and into the next room, turning right you will approach the third work in the gallery.
The third piece in the gallery is four hanging beaded tapestries. The work is titled Deer Woman (pink), Deer Woman (blue), Deer Woman (purple), Deer Woman (peach), 2024 Metal hangers, plastic and wooden beads, lipstick knives by Kimberly Robertson. The pieces are all lined one by one on the wall. Each is rectangular and hanging attached to a hanger. On the bottom of all four pieces beaded strings hang with lipstick knives attached to the bottom. The four tapestries contain different colored roses with green leaves attached to all of them. The pink, blue, purple, and peach are the colors of each of the pieces, and the strong hanging below matches each color of the roses.
The wall label reads:
Kimberly Robertson
Deer Woman (pink),
Deer Woman (blue),
Deer Woman (purple),
Deer Woman (peach), 2024
Metal hangers, plastic and wood beads, lipstick knives
“As a Mvskoke woman and a survivor of gender based violence, I created Deer Woman - a collection of four beaded tapestries - to address the issue of violence against Native femmes. I used pony beads and the peyote stitch technique to construct each tapestry. They hang from golden clothes hangers and are finished with strands of fringe that end in knives disguised as lipsticks. Through the tapestries, I aim to explore the tension between the beauty and the danger that comes with embracing Native femme identities under settler colonialism and cisheteropatriarchy.”
Kimberly Robertson is a citizen of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, a Professor of American Indian Studies, and an artist. Her scholarship and creative practices center Native feminisms, the sexual and gendered violence of settler colonialism, ceremony, storytelling, decolonization, and Indigenous futurities. Her artworks have been included in numerous community, university, public, and private galleries as well as peer-reviewed monographs and anthologies. In the spring of 2024, The Chapter House hosted Robertson’s first solo-exhibition, Diary of a Native Femme(nist). Robertson is also an active member of the Los Angeles Indian community and facilitates beading circles and art-making workshops with Tribal Nations and communities, both locally and nationally.
This is the end of the wall label.
Then, continuing counter-clockwise, you will approach the fourth work in the gallery.
The fourth piece in the gallery is a picture with handwoven pieces. The work is titled 06.06.24.7.02.54, 2024 by Kenneth Lopez. The picture is centered in a square frame. The center is a white bird on top of an object in the water, the water surrounds the bird. The light is reflected as light or dark, alternating throughout the piece. In a triangular shape black women pieces surround the left and right hand side of the picture. Lastly, The top left and top right is partially woven black pieces and alternating light and dark water
The wall label reads:
Kenneth Lopez
06.06.24.7.02.54, 2024
Woven paper and photograph
“06.06.24.7.02.54 is an homage not only to our natural relatives but also to all the native basket weavers I’ve encountered since starting my journey as a photographer. Although this particular weave isn’t one I’ve personally seen as a native basket pattern, I wanted to highlight one of the primary areas where some of the materials for weaving specific baskets are sourced. In this case, it’s the Chinui Paxaayt, also known as the San Gabriel River, while simultaneously showcasing the beauty of our natural relatives and those lands despite human interference.”
Kenneth Lopez (Mixteco) is a photographer and cultural worker based in Los Angeles. He serves as the Program Manager for Meztli Projects, an Indigenous-led arts collaborative working on the ancestral homelands of the Tongva, Tataviam, and Chumash Tribal Nations. Kenneth’s creative practice has contributed to documenting significant conversations surrounding monuments and civic memory in Los Angeles. His work has gained international publication and will be featured in the upcoming Monument Lab book that captures their ReGeneration initiative. His approach has enabled him to establish trust with LA’s Tribal communities and support their initiatives, such as the Tongva Taraxat Paxaavxa (pronounced Tar-a-haht pah-hava) Conservancy.
This is the end of the wall label.
Then, moving to the left, on the next wall, you will approach the fifth artwork wall text. The fifth artwork stands in front of the wall text, in the middle of the floor space.
The fifth piece in the gallery is a model of a building. The work is titled El Castillo, by Rihanna Barrera. The piece is a replica of a pink building standing on a beam. On the side facing the wall text on that side of the building reads “South Central Dreams”. There are four windows in the four corners of the outside wall and between all four windows is the number 27 printed on the wall. At the bottom of the wall is a picture of St. Mary, with text on both sides of the drawing reading, “Hail Mary”. Moving to the right of the building at the second outward facing wall is text printed large in black ink. The text reads, “RIP GHETTO ANGELS” alongside a drawing of white birds flying above the writing. Standing in front of the second wall are small figurines. Starting from the left hand side there are two handles that have been lit and are melting. Next to the candles is a statue of the Virgin of Guadalupe and a man praying in front of a cross. Moving to the right hand side there are trash bags, a trash can, and bottles of alcohol and other trash items spilling out. In Front of the trash can a man is lighting a cigarette. Moving onto the third wall of the building, the wall has four windows in the four corners. The LA Dodgers logo is written in white in the middle of the wall. To the right of the LA logo is a painting of a fist surrounded by flowers. At the top of the fist it reads, Black Love, and below it reads, Brown Pride. To the right of the LA logo is a mural figure of a person dressed like a clown. In the upper right hand corner there is a mural figure of a person with long hair wearing a flower crown. On the bottom of the building there is the word GHETTO painted in red. Throughout the entirety of the wall various words and symbols and phrases are painted on in Black. The fourth wall of the building contains a white balcony. Under the balcony a figurine is on their phone calling someone and the other two figurines seem frustrated while trying to speak to the person who is using their phone.
The wall label reads:
Rihanna Barrera
El Castillo, 2024
Installation, mixed media on compressed plywood
“El Castillo is an homage to my upbringing in South Los Angeles, my family, and the childhood inspirations that influence the artist I am today. This building represents the pink apartment complex where I grew up with one of my grandmothers and reflects much of my community. From graffiti to street murals, I have learned to appreciate this expressive art form, which is evident in my work style. This building was a doorway to the realities of the world, but also a refuge from it.”
Rihanna Marie Barrera is a Chicana mixed-media artist born and raised in Los Angeles. She is also an emerging art director and curator pursuing a degree in art at Cal State University, Los Angeles. Her creative practice incorporates both the struggles and beauty of her city, along with the street artists and family ties that make it home.
This is the end of the wall label.
Moving counterclockwise around the gallery, on the wall to the left of the previous wall text is the sixth art piece of this exhibit.
The sixth piece in the gallery is a watercolor painting. The work is titled xapawiyemeta | the isle of scorpions by Joel Garcia. This piece is a rectangular watercolor painting. There are blotches of bright orange over a black background. Towards the middle and the bottom of the painting are purple streaks blending into each other with water. The non-watercolor portion of the painting is dark black.
The wall label reads:
Joel Garcia
xapawiyemeta | the isle of scorpions, 2024
Natural dye painting on watercolor paper, cochineal, citrus, black 4.0, iron
“This painting is part of a series of works that focus on water, natural plant-based dyes, gravity, and alchemy. xapawiyemeta | the isle of scorpions is based on the Huichol (Wixarika) creation story and is the place where rain was born and humanity emerged after the universal flood, located near Lake Chapala in Jalisco, Mexico. Painted using cochineal to resemble the interaction between lava and water, the painting conveys the volatile and tender mixtures that nurture life.”
Joel Garcia (Huichol) is an Indigenous artist, cultural organizer, educator, co-founder, and Director of Meztli Projects, an Indigenous-based arts & culture collaborative centering Indigeneity into the creative practice of Los Angeles. In various artistic roles, he’s worked with Indigenous communities across borders to support land, access, and self-determination issues. His art (printmaking, dye making, public programming) explores healing and reconciliation, as well as memory and place, garnering national press in publications such as the LA Times, New Yorker, and Artforum, among others, for his use of art in changing policies in support of Indigenous Peoples and issues.
He’s a former Stanton Fellow (‘24-’25) and Monument Lab (‘19, and ‘22) fellow, and co-facilitator of the Intercultural Leadership Institute (‘21-’23), which proposes to hold space for cultural production outside of white supremacist frameworks.
This is the end of the wall label.
Moving counterclockwise around the gallery, on the wall to the left of the previous wall text is the seventh art piece of this exhibit.
The seventh piece in the gallery is a piece of pottery. The work is titled Cuervito Offerings by Emilia Cruz. This piece is a ceramic bird with a plate attached to the center of the bird's body. The body is facing forward away from the wall, with the beak and eyes facing the room. The Wings are attached to the bird's side.
The wall label reads:
Emilia Cruz
Cuervito Offerings, 2025
Ceramic sculpture
“After visiting my abuelito’s cantera sculptures in San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico, my biggest learning lesson was how beautifully his pieces intertwined with the elements outside. I created my piece to honor this observation and to leave food offerings for my crow friends who often visit our house. ”
Emilia Cruz is an artist, educator, and emerging curator based in Simi Valley, whose work is an ethereal celebration of the feminine and her community. Her artwork pays homage to these roots through her use of bright and vivid color palettes. Many of her paintings celebrate familiar faces and evoke a sense of being placed in otherworldly settings. She teaches art classes for youth at Plaza de la Raza’s Cultural Center of the Arts and recently curated “Home Within Yourself,” a group show at Plaza de la Raza Boathouse Gallery.
This is the end of the wall label.
Moving counterclockwise around the gallery, the eighth artwork hangs in a picture frame mounted on the wall.
The eighth piece in the gallery is a piece of paper hung about one foot away from the wall, with a black and white image of a desert landscape mounted on the wall. The hanging paper has various designs cut out of it, and a spotlight projects the shapes of the cutouts onto the black & white photograph.
The wall label reads:
Aanii Tate
Black Mesa, 2025
Photo, paper, thread
“This piece is inspired by Dinè woven saddles, blankets, and rug patterns, grains of turquoise, and canyon rivers. The homelands of my Dinè relatives are highly visible, highly trafficked, and often exhibited and on display. The photo I chose was the site of the Peabody Coal Archaeology Project (1963-1975) at Black Mesa, Arizona, where some of my family members were hired to dig, and is representative of other sites that have been exploited for industry and tourism. This layered paper cut panel of collaged patterns precedes the photo to offer disruption to the view of the landscape and scenic view that has been subject to hyper visibility and extraction."
Aanii Tate (Diné and white, she/her) works with printmaking, digital media, and fiber arts. Her art seeks to disrupt settler colonial methods of display and is based on remembering the land and sisterhood. She grew up in Portland, Oregon, creating art with her two older sisters. Three years ago she moved to Los Angeles, and recently graduated from USC, majoring in American Studies and Ethnicity (Dornsife) and minoring in Communication Design (Roski). She is passionate about arts education, community organizing, and arts resource redistribution.
This is the end of the wall label.
Moving counterclockwise around the gallery, the ninth artwork hangs in a picture frame mounted on the wall.
The ninth piece in the gallery is a painting. The work is titled menily’s Muse by Joel Garcia. This piece is a portrayal of a moth as the focal point of the painting. Various lines are surrounding the moth, all different shades of brown and black. The bottom of the painting is darker with splashes of watercolors streaking up the painting. The border around the watercolors is not uniform, as the water color bleeds into the white border.
The wall label reads:
Joel Garcia
menily’s muse, 2024
painting on watercolor paper, acorn & oak gall dye, iron, oil stick, ink
36 x 48 inches
“This painting is part of a series of works that focus on water, natural plant-based dyes, gravity, and alchemy. xapawiyemeta | The Isle of scorpions is based on the Huichol (Wixarika) creation story and is the place where rain was born and humanity emerged after the universal flood, located near Lake Chapala in Jalisco, Mexico. Painted using cochineal to resemble the interaction between lava and water, the painting conveys the volatile and tender mixtures that nurture life.”
Joel Garcia (Huichol) is an Indigenous artist, cultural organizer, educator, co-founder, and Director of Meztli Projects, an Indigenous-based arts & culture collaborative centering Indigeneity into the creative practice of Los Angeles. In various artistic roles, he’s worked with Indigenous communities across borders to support land, access, and self-determination issues. His art (printmaking, dye making, public programming) explores healing and reconciliation, as well as memory and place, garnering national press in publications such as the LA Times, New Yorker, and Artforum, among others, for his use of art in changing policies in support of Indigenous Peoples and issues.
He’s a former Stanton Fellow (‘24-’25) and Monument Lab (‘19, and ‘22) fellow, and co-founder of the Intercultural Leadership Institute (‘21-’23), which proposes to hold space for cultural production outside of white supremacist frameworks.
This is the end of the wall label.
Moving counterclockwise around the gallery, the tenth artwork is ceramic works sitting on a pedestal in front of a hanging net.
The tenth piece in the gallery is a set of ceramics and a hanging net . The work is titled Remembrance by Alexandria Ybarra. This piece is a set of three ceramic pieces standing on a white podium. Two are taller cup like shapes, with green on the bottom and white towards the top. The two larger pieces are open mouths but have overlap on the sides, like calla lilies. The third piece is a small bowl in between the taller cups, with gold spikes protruding from the sides. Hanging behind the podium and the cups is a loosely-woven net with acorns attached to the net. The net is hanging corner to corner drooping around the ceramic pieces.
The wall label reads:
Alexandria Ybarra
Remembrance, 2025
Glazed Ceramics, net, acorns
“This sacred medicine gifted by Creator to guide our ways, known as momoy, is a relative that blooms at dusk and rests midday when the sun is at its highest point, reflecting the solar stillness. This ephemeral rhythm mirrors the fleeting yet profound wisdom it carries.
The glaze streaming inward within the flute reflects the medicine’s gifts, inviting us to journey inward and uncover the overflowing abundance of inner knowing. Though momoy appears delicate on the surface, it holds a powerful core, reminding us that true strength and understanding often lie deep within. ”
Alexandria Ybarra (Tongva, Chumash, Chicana) blends traditional and contemporary techniques in her work as a ceramicist, watercolorist, and basket weaver. A member of the Tongva Basket Weaving Collective: Nohaaxre Miyii Pokuu’, Ybarra’s art honors the land, incorporates natural earth elements, and celebrates the power of Indigenous womanhood. Her work invites reflection on the intersections of culture, identity, and environmental justice, offering a pathway to healing and renewal.
This is the end of the wall label.
Moving counterclockwise around the gallery, the eleventh artwork is a picture mounted on the wall.
The eleventh piece in the gallery is a woven picture . The work is titled Elderberry by Kenneth Lopez. This piece is two back to back pictures of elderberries one black and white and the other one with color. Both pictures show a plant with berries growing out of the end of the branch. Around the pictures are yellow, brown, and orange weaving in triangular shapes. Both pictures show different perspectives of the plant and are not uniform.
The wall label reads:
Kenneth Lopez
Elderberry, 2024
Mixed media photograph woven w/ elderberry bark and elderberry dye
“This piece honors the elderberry tree, one of the first natural relatives I have had the opportunity to work with. Known as “Huukat” in Tongva, the elderberry has taught me that while it is often viewed as a natural resource, it should also be considered a natural relative, alongside all our other plant kin. The various gifts it provides us— ranging from dye as shown in the paper woven in this artwork to the bark also shown which can be used for skirts—highlight the importance of nurturing reciprocal relationships with these natural relatives.”
Kenneth Lopez (Mixteco) is a photographer and cultural worker based in Los Angeles. He serves as the Program Manager for Meztli Projects, an Indigenous-led arts collaborative working on the ancestral homelands of the Tongva, Tataviam, and Chumash Tribal Nations. Kenneth’s creative practice has contributed to documenting significant conversations surrounding monuments and civic memory in Los Angeles. His work has gained international publication and will be featured in the upcoming Monument Lab book that captures their ReGeneration initiative. His approach has enabled him to establish trust with LA’s Tribal communities and support their initiatives, such as the Tongva Taraxat Paxaavxa (pronounced Tar-a-haht pah-hava) Conservancy.
This is the end of the wall label.
Moving counterclockwise around the gallery, the twelfth artwork is a picture mounted on the wall.
The twelfth piece in the gallery are beaded tapestries. The work is titled Haunting (Journalists), Haunting (Medical Workers), Haunting (Humanitarian Aid Workers) by Kimberly Robertson . This piece is three hanging beaded shirts, all are attached to the wall by hangers. Starting from the left side, the shirt reads PRESS. There is red splatter/beads across the shirt and red beaded flowers with green beaded stems towards the bottom right corner, with red beads hanging below the flower as if they are dripping. The middle shirt is white and has a stethoscope around the hanger. The circular part of the stethoscope has red beaded flowers with green beaded stems, and there are red beads spread out amongst the shirt, some dripping in a line off the shirt. Lastly, the third and last beaded shirt is blue and has the letters UN on the right hand side of the shirt. There are red beads splattered across the short and three lines of red beads dripping at the bottom of the shirt and on the left side there are red beaded flowers with green beaded stems.
The wall label reads:
Kimberly Robertson
Haunting (Journalists),
Haunting (Medical Workers),
Haunting (Humanitarian Aid Workers), 2025
Metal hangers, jewelry wire, stethoscope, glass, and plastic beads
“The relentless and intentional torture, criminalization, incarceration, and murder of journalists, medical workers, and humanitarian aid workers has been a key strategy in the Israeli genocide of the Palestinian people. And yet, with unwavering courage and conviction, these relatives continue to risk their lives in the struggle for justice and liberation. I created Haunting - a collection of three beaded tapestries - to honor the martyrs whose lives have been stolen and to call attention to both the atrocities of genocide and the inextinguishable spirit of Palestinian resistance.
I used pony beads and the peyote stitch technique to construct each tapestry, and I created the beaded poppies and leaves using glass seed beads and the french beading technique. I worked with a palette of red, white, and blue to call attention to the dark and haunting reality that, alongside Israel, it is we, the citizens of the United States, who are responsible for the genocide.”
Kimberly Robertson is a citizen of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, a Professor of American Indian Studies, and an artist. Her scholarship and creative practices center Native feminisms, the sexual and gendered violence of settler colonialism, ceremony, storytelling, decolonization, and Indigenous futurities. Her artworks have been included in numerous community, university, public, and private galleries as well as peer-reviewed monographs and anthologies. In the spring of 2024, The Chapter House hosted Robertson’s first solo-exhibition, Diary of a Native Femme(nist). Robertson is also an active member of the Los Angeles Indian community and facilitates beading circles and art making workshops with Tribal Nations and communities, both locally and nationally.
This is the end of the wall label.
Moving counterclockwise around the gallery, the thirteenth artwork is a compilation of video poems that play consecutively. There are benches around the projected videos and mics mounted on the wall to hear the audio.
The thirteenth piece in the gallery are two video poem played consecutively . The work is titled She’aaxme “They weave together,” by Isaac Michael Ybarra, and Misery Is Company by Skyler Green .
The wall label reads:
Isaac Michael Ybarra
She’aaxme “They weave together,” 2025
Video poem, 5 Minutes
“She’aaxme “They weave together” is dedicated to the Tongva Basketry Collective. I am inspired by a group of multigenerational weavers reawakening and nurturing culture, coming together to uplift and heal our community, thriving despite the impacts colonization has caused, and the attempt to fragment our families. This is an interconnected response to colonial wounds. I invite the audience to imagine themselves on a bluff anywhere, imagining a life without taxes, pollution, and oppression.
The video tells the story that although we live in an urban environment, causing feelings of torment, the land has always and will always be providing. This poem is intended to be read in the style of Oorei, where the title is meant to be read before or after the first five stanzas.”
Isaac Michael Ybarra (Tongva, Chumash, and Xicano) is a poet, visual artist, and storyteller based in Los Angeles County. As a steward of Indigenous cultural conservation, he utilizes film, photography, and poetry to amplify decolonial narratives and reclaim Indigenous pedagogies. Through art, Isaac seeks to challenge the dominance of the human experience and instead honors the interconnectedness of all beings. He embraces the values of Indigenous Futurism to retell the past and present, envisioning a future with his ancestral homelands guided by his community’s stories, visions, and desires. He is a former California Creative Corps Fellow and a current Liberty Hill Environmental Leadership Initiative (ELI) fellow.
The second wall label reads:
Skyler Green
Misery Is Company, 2024
Video/Film, 2 Minutes 15 Seconds
“...this short film drifts through the night like a memory told through the eyes of a young girl chasing the freedom she once knew. I want the viewer to feel the adventure and adrenaline of the night, guided by chance and feeling. It ends with a gentle question: “If there’s a moon out tonight, would you like to take a walk with me?”
Skyler Raine Green (Tongva, Chumash) is a visual artist born and raised in the San Fernando Valley. Since a young girl, she has always been drawn to the nature of being wild and free, which is evident in her art pieces. Skyler’s Tongva, Chumash, and Chicana lineages influence her approach to street culture, biker culture, and Americana aesthetics.
This is the end of the wall label.
Moving counterclockwise around the gallery, the fourteenth artwork is a sculpture in the middle of the gallery floor.
The fourteenth piece in the gallery is a sculpture of a large can. The work is titled Barrell No.1 by River Garza. This piece is a turquoise blue barrel imitating a pack of American Spirit cigarettes. The top of the can is red; the sides are turquoise. At the top of the barrel is an image of a bird-like figure made up of symbols. Below this there is writing on the barrel that says; Original Blend- Natural Capitalist Spirit. Below the writing is an image of a person wearing a feather hat blowing into a pipe. This figure is placed in front of a red circle with an outer yellow ring.
The wall label reads:
River Garza
Barrell No.1, 2025
Fiberboard, acrylic and enamel
“This sculpture is part of an ongoing body of work that
critiques the commercialization and commodification
of Indigenous medicine and spiritual practices.”
River T. Garza (Tongva, Mexican) is an Indigenous
interdisciplinary visual artist from Los Angeles and
a member of the Ti’at Society. His work draws on
traditional Tongva aesthetics, Southern California
Indigenous maritime culture, Chicano culture,
Mexican art, graffiti, skateboarding, and lowrider art.
Through his artistic practice, Garza often explores
the intersection of Tongva and Chicano/Mexican
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Moving counterclockwise around the gallery, the fifthteenth artwork is a picture mounted on the wall.
The fifthteenth piece in the gallery is a glazed ceramic mirror . The work is titled My Heart, Our Sacred Ocean, Are You Its Protection or Destruction? by Alexandria Ybarra. This piece is a reflective mirror with a ceramic frame. The frame has dark ruffles and makes up an oval like shape, it is dark green and brownish. Placed in the middle of the mirror are white mountain outlines.
The wall label reads:
Alexandria Ybarra
My Heart, Our Sacred Ocean, Are You Its Protection or Destruction?, 2024
Glazed Ceramic, Mirror
“This sculpture is designed to connect elements of Tongva maritime culture with lowrider aesthetics. Ti’at Society is an intertribal community organization focused on cultural preservation and improving Indigenous Peoples’ access to land, water, and the use of boats (Ti’ats). These plaques are typically linked to lowrider car clubs and act as identifiers and markers of a community of people with similar values and efforts. This plaque serves a similar purpose, representing and signifying the members of Ti’at Society and our Ti’at, Mo’omat Ahiko (Breath of the Ocean).”
Alexandria Ybarra (Tongva, Chumash, Chicana) blends traditional and contemporary techniques in her work as a ceramicist, watercolorist, and basket weaver. A member of the Tongva Basket Weaving Collective: Nohaaxre Miyii Pokuu’, Ybarra’s art honors the land, incorporates natural earth elements, and celebrates the power of Indigenous womanhood. Her work invites reflection on the intersections of culture, identity, and environmental justice, offering a pathway to healing and renewal.
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Moving counterclockwise around the gallery, the sixteenth artwork is a picture mounted on the wall.
The sixteenth piece in the gallery is steel plaque. The work is titled Tovaangar Placa by River Garza. This piece are two steel plaques facing back to back separated by a long plank of wood held from the ceiling. The first plaque stands on a block of marble and reads TOVAANGAR and the second plac stands on a piece of wood and reads TIAT SOCIETY.
The wall label reads:
River Garza
Tovaangar Placa, 2025
Steel, aluminum, Plinth: Italian marble
“Tovaangar is a Tongva place name for the world ( the Los Angeles basin). This plaque is designed to convey a sense of place and temporality to the viewer. The plaque is presented on top of an Italian marble plinth. The choice of Italian Marble is a direct reference to sculptural works from the Renaissance; artists like Michelangelo used white Italian marble to carve masterpieces like David and the Pieta. The canon of art history has positioned Indigenous artists outside of the art historical narrative; important works by Indigenous artists have only been framed in the past tense. Thus, the use of Italian marble is not only an allusion to the materials used by the “masters” but also calls into question the positionality of Indigenous art/artists within the narrative of art history.”
River T. Garza (Tongva, Mexican) is an Indigenous interdisciplinary visual artist from Los Angeles and a member of the Ti’at Society. His work draws on traditional Tongva aesthetics, Southern California Indigenous maritime culture, Chicano culture, Mexican art, graffiti, skateboarding, and lowrider art. Through his artistic practice, Garza often explores the intersection of Tongva and Chicano/Mexican identity, history, and culture. He is a former “Creator in Residence” at the Los Angeles Public Library and a current fellow of the Meztli Projects’ Cultural Worker Fellowship. His work can be found in permanent and private collections.
Salvaged coastal redwood by Angel City Lumber
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Moving counterclockwise around the gallery, the seventeenth artwork is a neon sign hanging from the ceiling of the gallery.
The seventeenth piece in the gallery is a neon sign hanging in the window, facing out to the street. The work is titled Ode to Toypurina by River Garza. This piece is a sign that is glowing red neon and reads in all caps: Toypurina Lives!
The wall label reads:
River Garza
Ode to Toypurina, 2025
Acrylic, neon and glass
“This work is an homage to Toypurina, an important figure of resistance against colonial oppression for my Tongva/Gabrielino community. She played a vital role in leading a revolt against the San Gabriel Mission and its system of forced conversion and enslavement during the late 18th century. This work is intended to invoke her spirit of resistance and remind us that the spirit of revolution lives on. The neon sign also speaks to the thousands of neon signs found along San Gabriel Blvd, lighting up the street in Mandarin, Taiwanese, Japanese, and other languages, refusing to be absorbed.”
River T. Garza (Tongva, Mexican) is an Indigenous interdisciplinary visual artist from Los Angeles and a member of the Ti’at Society. His work draws on traditional Tongva aesthetics, Southern California Indigenous maritime culture, Chicano culture, Mexican art, graffiti, skateboarding, and lowrider art. Through his artistic practice, Garza often explores the intersection of Tongva and Chicano/Mexican identity, history, and culture. He is a former “Creator in Residence” at the Los Angeles Public Library and a current fellow of the Meztli Projects’ Cultural Worker Fellowship. His work can be found in permanent and private collections.
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This concludes the screen reader guide.