Judith F. Baca: 1946—: Muralist, Visual Artist, Educator Biography

When most people think of art, their immediate response has been to imagine the kind of art found in museums. For instance, the works of Rembrandt or Chagall suggest great art of museum quality. In contrast, the kind of art that people could view on the streets of American cities has not always been considered to be great art. In fact, in the past, such art might have been simply labeled street art and dismissed as only a slightly more artistic representation of the graffiti that decorates so many city fences and businesses. But in recent years, public art, the art of the streets and communities, has begun to be valued as a significant representation of American cultural life.

In large part this change in status can be attributed to one artist—Judith F. Baca. Over the past thirty years, Baca has created and led a movement to redefine the meaning of art. She has perhaps become best known for her seven year project, The Great Wall of Los Angeles, but in fact, Baca's work has encompassed much more that just this one notable project.