Frank Romero

Throughout his 50-year career as an artist, Frank Romero has been a dedicated member of the Los Angeles arts community. As a member of the 1970s Chicano art collective, Los Four, Romero and fellow artists Carlos Almaraz, Beto de la Rocha and Gilbert Lujan, helped to define and promote the new awareness of La Raza through murals, publications and exhibitions. Los Four's historic 1974 exhibition at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art was the country's first show of Chicano art at a major art institution.

While Frank Romero is widely celebrated for his vibrant paintings and murals, his work as a printmaker is equally significant and deeply rooted in his commitment to making art accessible, political, and culturally resonant. As a pioneering figure in the Chicano art movement, Romero used printmaking as both a creative and democratic tool—one that allowed him to disseminate powerful imagery and messages to a wider audience.

Romero’s prints carry the same visual energy and thematic depth as his larger works. Bold lines, saturated colors, and stylized forms—hallmarks of his aesthetic—translate seamlessly into screenprints, lithographs, and etchings. His recurring motifs, such as lowriders, L.A. cityscapes, Aztec and Catholic iconography, and images of protest and resistance, find potent expression in print, where their repetition gains strength and symbolic weight. Through printmaking, Romero could create multiples of works that addressed civil rights, cultural pride, and the everyday beauty and struggles of Chicano life.

As an artist deeply connected to his community, Romero embraced the democratic potential of the print medium—producing works that could be collected by individuals who might not otherwise have access to original paintings. His collaboration with other artists and print workshops, including Self Help Graphics & Art, further underscores this commitment. These community-based print studios were central to the Chicano movement’s ethos, serving as spaces for artistic collaboration, education, and activism.

Romero’s printmaking also intersects with his work as a cultural historian. Many of his prints act as visual chronicles, capturing pivotal moments in Chicano history—such as the Chicano Moratorium or scenes from East L.A.—with a mix of nostalgia, critique, and reverence. His use of symbols and layered narratives invites viewers to engage with complex histories while celebrating cultural resilience.