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Mar 17, 20173 min read

Plaza De La Raza: Antonio Pelayo Retrospective Exhibition

Plaza De La Raza’s Presents Eclectic Artist Antonio Pelayo Exhibition and Benefit Concert Headlined By Legendary Cumbia Band, ‘La Sonora Dinamita’

Plaza De La Raza announced today its upcoming Antonio Pelayo Retrospective Exhibition hosted by Patricia Lopez on Saturday, March 25, 2017, 7:00 PM at Plaza De La Raza located at 3540 N. Mission Road, Los Angeles, CA 90031.

The Antonio Pelayo Retrospective Exhibition will include 75 original pieces in pencil, and some Disney Animation cels (celluloid/traditional hand-drawn animation).


Accompanying the Pelayo exhibition, a benefit concert featuring legendary Columbian band La Sonora Dinamita, considered the king of the cumbia, a South and Latin American music genre and dance popular throughout Mexico and Latin America.

Antonio Pelayo is recognized as an extraordinary illustrator and hyperrealist—a genre of painting and sculpture resembling a high-resolution photograph. Pelayo’s childhood is unique in that he was born in 1973 in Glendale, California but spent most of his youth living in Mexico—the instability of moving from an American suburb to a tiny village helped turn him into one of the most exciting artists of his generation.

“Since 2012, Plaza de la Raza has supported my ideas and given me full range on my artistic vision, and for that I am grateful,” said Pelayo. “I am truly honored that they are giving me the opportunity to have a solo retrospective that will exhibit my work from 1996 to the present.”

In Mexico, Pelayo dove into the depth of Mexican art and its own movement from the shadows of the Catholic Church into the modern world. Influenced by mentors—Diego Rivera, Frida Kahlo, and Orozco—Pelayo mastered the Spanish language to better communicate with the people living in his village. Still, there was a gap: the language barrier between poor farmers and the middle class kept him from meeting people on an intimate level. Nevertheless, he now had three languages to communicate in: English, Spanish and his drawings. Through his mastery of pencil and paper, Pelayo began in the nave of an old Mexican country church and in America, his skill developed further.


In 1994, call it serendipitous or just plain gumption; Pelayo was hired, given a coveted invitation to join Disney Studio’s illustrious Ink & Paint Department, where he learned traditional celluloid animation techniques. Pelayo’s body of work is pure yet has an urban and hip edge. Did joining Disney Studio’s Ink & Paint Department influence his work?

“Mexico is where I had the chance to work on my skills and that’s where my artistic story began,” said Pelayo. “But Disney had a huge impact in my career. It’s because of Disney that I got the opportunity to exhibit my work for the first time.”

Additional entertainment for the evening includes: Casa De Calacas, DJ Sloe Poke, DJ Gargamel EV Dub, and the Alien Dance Band. Guests will enjoy a night of art, culture, music and dance until 1:00 AM.

For more information, please visit http://www.plazadelaraza.org

About Plaza De La Raza: Actress Margo Albert and Frank Lopez, a trade union activist in 1970, founded plaza De la Raza Cultural Center for the Arts & Education in 1970.  Plaza de la Raza is the only multidisciplinary community arts venue dedicated to serving the Eastside neighborhoods of Los Angeles. Plaza de la Raza is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and it offers affordable after-school, intergenerational arts education programs to nearly 3,800 children, teens and adults each year. Its mission is to foster enrichment of all cultures bridging the geographic, social, artistic, and cultural boundaries of Los Angeles, and beyond. Plaza de la Raza’s School of Performing and Visual Arts has provided students across Los Angeles County with the opportunity to engage first-hand in the arts from courses in four major disciplines: visual art, dance, music, & theatre. With opportunities for students of all ages, courses ranging from entry level to conservatory level, and free classes for qualifying low-income families, Plaza de la Raza has something for everyone!

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