Born and raised in San Diego California, Chata is a multi-generational artist who specializes in analogue photography."My work as a photographer is deeply informed by the complexity of identity, memory, and place. I have long navigated intersecting cultural worlds. These early experiences taught me that identity is not fixed, but layered, fluid, and deeply historical. Photography became my tool for exploring these layers. Through the lens, I seek to capture the subtle presence of memory in landscape, the resilience in familial and communal rituals, and the quiet power of everyday life.”
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When It’s Real (2024), is a professionally handcrafted 38-page photo zine, measuring 5×7”, produced using a Riso digital duplicator. This publication documents eight years of lowrider culture across San Diego, Los Angeles, Arizona and Baja California Mexico. Captured exclusively on 35mm film, the photographs pay tribute to the individuals who preserve and elevate the legacy and artistry of lowriding. Limited series of 20, numbered and signed.
Printed in New York City with collaboration and design by Michael N. Meyer
G (2019), is a collection of snap shots, notes and ephemera from the 1970s that tells the story of a mans journey from Mexico to San Diego and Los Angeles where he joined East LA’s infamous Maravilla neighborhood gang. Created and published by his daughter Jesse Maria in collaboration with Revolucion Cultural. This zine is a 5.5×8.5” soft cover, 26 pages with an edition of 50.
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