4,000 WORKS OF ART: 1900s – Present

AltaMed began collecting art in the 1970s as part of a holistic approach to healing that honors the cultural and ethnic backgrounds of all individuals. AltaMed believes that art uplifts the spirit and soul, connects people, and is an essential part of healthy, thriving communities. Our founders, active participants in the Chicano Movement of the late 1960s, addressed social inequities by providing quality, affordable healthcare. Today, we continue to primarily serve Latino, Mexican, and Chicano communities, installing Latino art in all our medical facilities and offices to create welcoming, beautiful, and culturally relevant spaces.

“Our collection focuses on Chicano art, because AltaMed was founded as part of the Chicano Movement in the 1970s, because I was active in the Chicano Movement, and because our patients and employees can connect culturally with the art.”
– Cástulo de la Rocha, President & CEO, AltaMed Health Services Corporation, Founder of the AltaMed Art Collection

Our strategy aims to tell the complete story of Chicano history and culture through visual art. Chicano art is deeply connected to both Mexico and the United States, shaped by global migration, trade, and intercultural exchanges that have created diasporic communities such as Mexican Americans and Mexicans in Spain. It serves as a vibrant, visual reflection of the Mexican American experience in the United States.

The Art Collection includes approximately 4,000 works spanning from the early 1900s to the present, representing all mediums—including sculpture, painting, prints, photography, ceramics, and more—in a variety of artistic styles. The collection features prominent Chicano artists such as Carlos Almaraz, Roberto Gil de Montes, Frank Romero, Patssi Valdez, John Valadez, Laura Aguilar, and César Martínez. It also includes Mexican masters like Rufino Tamayo, Raúl Anguiano, Graciela Iturbide, and José Chávez Morado, as well as contemporary artists such as Betsabeé Romero, Minerva Cuevas, and Gabriel Orozco. Additionally, Latin American, Asian American, and Black artists are incorporated to enrich the visual dialogue on identity, immigration, social justice, and other shared experiences and cultures.

Slideshow photo credit:  Dario S. Garcia