UC Riverside

The aim of this thesis is to consider some of the epistemological methods for considering art and art histories with respect to two of Judith Baca's Los Angeles murals. Other scholars and artists have used institutional critiques, yet this thesis is unique in that it contextualizes Baca's work within the Chicano Movement and also within art historical discourse. I first do this by analyzing Baca's earliest mural, Mi Abulita, a mural that no longer exists. Before a discussion of The Great Wall of Los Angeles, I offer several comparisons between Baca and Suzanne Lacy, Richard Serra, Asco and others. Finally I analyze The Great Wall of Los Angeles and the river it was made in. This analysis is particularly important to this thesis because it provides a unique perspective on methods of knowledge building and commemorating the past. It also satisfies the aim of the thesis to consider how art histories are told and remembered.