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Over the course of spring break I went to the Museum of Latin American Arts (MOLAA) for the sole purpose of gathering materials for my Art 101 comparison paper. As I was allowed to take pictures of the artwork, I was able to focus on the concepts an artist would take when looking at the art piece. It was not until the weekend before break ended that I realized my presentation was approaching. As I looked back at the pictures I had taken from the museum visit that I realized something that could be looked upon from a historians perspective. One of the pieces by Frank Romero, The Arrest of the Palateros, depicted a scene where police officers were persecuting Latin immigrants who were trying to make a living by selling their commodities in the streets of Echo Park, Los Angeles. The artist made the painting in 1996 to depict a scene that is common in Los Angeles in the 1990s.

What brought me to think about the historical perspective of this piece relates back to the reading due for April 3rd concerning the theory of race. The artwork and the little description below it show how the officers were able to take advantage of these immigrants because they do not have their documentation, leading the officers to exploit this weakness. It led me back to Coates’ reading. Coates refers to one African American, Clyde Ross, to show how those in authority would take advantage of those without power to do much in retaliation. Looking back at the work caused me to reflect on the theme of class struggle and race and how it existed not only back over 200 years but how it can still be seen in more recent times.