Judithe Hernandez

Recuerdos de Ayer....Sueños de Mañana, 1982-2002

The mural was commissioned by the Los Angeles 200 Committee to commemorate the founding of the City of Los Angeles in 1781. Executed on the old Beaudry Building in the El Pueblo State Historical Park, I was assisted by my father Peter C. Hernandez and Mort Neikrug, as well as many dear friends that included the well known Los Angeles artists: Carlos Almaraz, Stanley Wilson, Wayne Healy, and renowned L.A. muralist Kent Twitchell.

The 3-story mural pays homage to the city's original Spanish name, "The City of Our Lady Queen of Angeles", the Spanish missions, Mexican migrant workers who harvested California's vast agricultural fields, the 1932 Olympic Games, the original "trolley" transportation system, the rise of automobiles and the freeways, all of which are framed by the ubiquitous palm trees so familiar in Southern California.

Photos by Mort Neikrug (Upper left) and Kent Twitchell (Upper right and lower left)

El Teatro de la Vida, 1976-1982

Century Playhouse Theater, Los Angeles

The detail shown on the right is part of the 40' mural painted on the Century Playhouse Theater in West Los Angeles. The mural was comissioned by the Inner City Mural Program and funded by the National Endowment of the Arts. Gilbert Rodgriguez was the mural assistant.

Right: A detail of the mural, Photo by: Judithe Hernandez

The Great Wall of Los Angeles Mural, 1976

The "Mexican Rule" section (15x100') was part of the first phase of the Great Wall of Los Angeles Mural. It depicts the coming of the Spanish, the establishment of the first Mission in California, the exploitation of the indigenous population, and the period of the great Spanish ranchos or haciendas in California. The mural was painted with the assistance of a dozen teens sponsored by SPARC.

Photo by: Judithe Hernandez

Sueños Oaxaqueños, 1981

The Craft and Folk Art Museum, Los Angeles

The mural was commissioned by the Craft and Folk Art Museum for the Murals of Aztlan Exhibition. The other artists who participated in this exhibition were: Carlos Almaraz, Frank Romero, Wayne Healy, David Botello, Willie Herron, Gronk, and John Valadez.

Sueños Oaxaqueños was chosen to be part of the first exibition of contemporary Chicano art in Europe, Les Demon des Anges, which traveled to Nantes, France; Barcelona, Spain; Stockholm, Sweden; and Lyon, France (1989-90)

Photo by: Mort Neikrug

Homenaje a Las Chicanas de Áztlan, 1977, Ramona Gardens Housing Project East Los Angeles

The mural project was organized by the legendary Michicano Gallery and funded by California Arts Council. I was assisted by Carlos Almaraz (photo on upper right) on my mural; and in turn I assisted him with his mural (La Adelita). The "Adelita" mural was credited to "Los Four", but it was actually painted by Almaraz and Hernandez.

Photos by: Judithe Hernandez

El Mundo de Barrio Sotel, 1976-2002, Stoner Recreation Center, Los Angeles

The original mural was painted with the assistance of Barrio Sotel gang members. In 1997, after years of neglect, the mural was chosen for restoration as part of a project to save Los Angeles's historically significant murals. Artist Alma Lopez was chosen to oversee the restoration.

In 2002, over the objections of artists and community members, the mural was destroyed when the old recreation center was demolished to make way for a new building.

Photos by: Judithe Hernandez (Upper left & right), Alma Lopez (Lower left)