The Chicano Movement & Rudy Fernandez
The Chicano Movement
& Rudy Fernandez
A Legacy of Art and Activism
Rudy Fernandez’s journey as an artist is deeply intertwined with the Chicano Movement, a fight for civil rights, representation, and equity. His work is not just about aesthetics—it is a visual testament to resistance, identity, and the power of community.
Chicano Art & Student Organizing at CU Boulder
In 1971, Rudy entered the University of Colorado at Boulder through UMAS (United Mexican-American Students), a student-led organization dedicated to advancing Chicano rights in education. Just a year later, alongside Jerry Jaramillo, he helped establish and run the first-ever UMAS Chicano Art Program at the university. This initiative provided a space for Chicano students to express their struggles and aspirations through art—some of which became central to campus protests and demonstrations.
Resistance & Protest
Rudy’s time at CU Boulder was marked by activism. From 1972 to 1974, he actively participated in the United Farm Workers (UFW) Lettuce Boycott and the Coors Beer Boycott. The boycott against Coors was especially significant at CU Boulder because Joseph Coors, a member of the Coors family, was also a University of Colorado Regent. Coors was known for his opposition to affirmative action and other policies that supported marginalized communities, making the boycott both a labor and civil rights issue.
Rudy’s activism reached a pivotal moment in 1974 when he was part of the four-day student takeover of Regent Hall. This protest directly responded to the university’s attempts to suppress Chicano enrollment by withholding financial aid.
Despite his dedication, Rudy faced systemic discrimination firsthand. The University’s Director of Admissions dismissed him with the words, “We don’t need any more mediocre students like you.” But Rudy did not back down. Instead, he channeled his defiance into his art, using his talent to challenge the very institutions that sought to exclude him.
Art as a Weapon for Change
Through every struggle, Rudy Fernandez’s art has remained a beacon of Chicano resilience. His contributions to the movement are a reminder that art is more than creativity—it is history, activism, and an unyielding declaration of identity. His work continues to inspire new generations to use their voices and talents to fight for justice.
The legacy of Rudy Fernandez is not just about the past; it is a call to action for the present and future.
2003
“THE SERIE PROJECT”
Coronado Studio-Teaching Serigraphy to Chicano Students, Austin, Texas
2002
“DAY OF THE DEAD EXHIBITION”
Dallas Museum of Fine Arts, Dallas, Texas
Contemporary Chicana and Chicano Art, Two-volume tome, Bilingual
Press/Editorial Bilingue, Hispanic Research Center, Arizona State University.
General Editor: Dr. Gary D. Keller
2001
CARA, Chicano Art – Resistance and Affirmation, UCLA.
ARTE CHICANO 1965-1981, Compiled by Shifra Goldman/Tomas Ybarra Frousto, University of California, Berkeley, California (Publisher), 1986.
1993
“Nichos, Form and Function”
Millicent Rogers Museum, Taos, New Mexico
1990
“C.A.R.A. Chicano Art: Resistance & Affirmation”
U.C.L.A. Wight Gallery, Los Angeles, California
1989
“Sin Fronteras: Crossing Borders”
Mexican-American Artists in the Southwest, Gallery of Contemporary Art, University of Colorado,
Colorado Springs, Colorado
“Hispanic Art in the United States”
Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles California
1988
“Hispanic Art in the United States”
Museum of Fine Arts, Santa Fe, New Mexico
“Hispanic Art in the United States”
The Lowe Art Museum and the Metropolitan Museum and Art Center, Miami, Florida
1987
“Hispanic Art in the United States”
The Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
"Artistas Mexico-Americanos de San Francisco, California"
Salon de Sorteos, Mexico D.F.
"Hispanic Art in the United States"
The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Texas
"Hispanic Art in the United States"
L.A. County Museum, Los Angeles, California
1986
"Curator Chicano Art Show"
Tucson Art Institute, Tucson, Arizona
"Lo Del Corazón, Heartbeat of a Culture"
The Mexican Museum, San Francisco, California
1985
"Arte, Arte!"
Transamerica Center, Los Angeles, California
1984
"Secular Santos"
University of Arizona Museum, Tucson, Arizona
1978
"Homage to Frida Kahlo"
Galeria De La Raza, San Francisco, California
"Second Southwest Chicano Invitational"
Heard Museum, Phoenix, Arizona
1977
"Images of the Southwest"
Galería De La Raza, San Francisco, California
1975
"Exhibition Artistas de Aztlan”
And/Or Gallery, Seattle, Washington