Mission Hills artist Lalo Garcia, widely known for his religious paintings and artistic renderings of migrants, is the featured artist in the “Ribbons of Prayer” exhibit honoring the immigrant community at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in downtown Los Angeles.
This week Garcia installed several of his paintings for this exhibit, including “El Viaje del Migrante” (“The Migrant’s Journey”); and “Protectora de Migrantes” (“Protector of Migrants”), a painting depicting Our Lady of Guadalupe “protecting monarch butterflies,” which are the universal symbol of migration.
The centerpiece of the exhibit – located in a chapel alcove off a main corridor – features multiple ribbons of different colors tied to a black display stand. Each ribbon bears the handwritten name of an individual who has died while in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody, or who have been personally impacted by current immigration policies and enforcement actions.
“As an immigrant myself, I feel the anguish that many of our friends and family members are going through, and it is through my artworks that I show my solidarity to all immigrants,” Garcia told the San Fernando Valley Sun/el Sol. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to be a part of this ‘ribbon of prayer’ chapel installation.”
Ribbons of Prayer will be on display through mid-October. It commemorates this year’s International Day of Migrants and Refugees, which is observed around the world on Sunday, Sept. 27. Locally, LA Archbishop José H. Gomez will celebrate a Mass in Recognition of all Immigrants at the cathedral on Sunday, Sept. 20 at 3:30 p.m.
Cathedral visitors are invited to request ribbons in the chapel to write the names of loved ones and add them to the display. People can also provide names for the ribbons online, via https://lacatholics.org/ribbons-of-prayer. All ribbons will be included in the Sept. 20 mass.
Garcia Honored by City Council
Garcia was also recently honored at LA City Hall, where LA City Councilmember Monica Rodriguez presented Garcia with a certificate of recognition for “more than three decades … [of using] his artistry to celebrate Mexican culture, faith, folklore and tradition.”
Born in a small ranch town in Michoacan, Mexico, Garcia immigrated to the San Fernando Valley as a young teenager. He has worked as a visual artist for several decades, and has had his art pieces exhibited in galleries and museums across the U.S., Mexico and Spain.
“I am proud to honor Lalo Garcia for his extraordinary artistic legacy,” said Rodriguez, “and his lasting contributions to culture, faith and the arts.”