Mexican Indigenous Voices of Ventura County
Exhibit Dates: September 26 - November 14, 2026
This exhibition features over 40 powerful photographic portraits of representatives of Mexican Indigenous communities in Ventura County, taken by internationally acclaimed photographer Diego Huerta during his month-long artist residency at the Museum of Ventura County. For more than 18 years, Diego has been photographing Pueblos Originarios—Indigenous communities—in Mexico. This is the first time he has photographed these groups outside of Mexico. The main groups featured in this exhibition are the Mixteco, Zapotec, Purépecha, Maya, Nahua, and Otomí. It gives a glimpse into the cultures and peoples Diego encountered in the county, bringing attention to and centering these often-overlooked communities. They enrich and contribute to Ventura County with their traditional knowledge, cultural work, dances, pride in their traditional clothing, delicious food, and strong values like hard work, honesty, integrity, community, and the “tequio” ethic: working together to help each other. While this exhibition celebrates Mexican Indigenous communities, it also tells the human story of people who move or migrate to new places, bring their traditions, and create home.
Esta exhibición presenta más de 40 poderosos retratos fotográficos de representantes de comunidades Indígenas Mexicanas en el Condado de Ventura, tomados por el reconocido fotógrafo internacional Diego Huerta durante su residencia artística de un mes en el Museo del Condado de Ventura. Durante más de 18 años, Diego ha fotografiado a Pueblos Originarios en México. Esta es la primera vez que ha retratado a estos grupos fuera de México. Los grupos principales presentados en esta exhibición son los Mixtecos, Zapotecos, Purépechas, Mayas, Nahuas y Otomíes. Ofrece un vistazo a las culturas y a las personas que Diego encontró en el condado, dando atención y visibilidad a estas comunidades a menudo pasadas por alto. Ellos enriquecen y contribuyen al Condado de Ventura con su conocimiento, trabajo cultural, danzas, orgullo en su indumentaria tradicional, gastronomía, y sólidos valores como el trabajo duro, la honestidad, la integridad, la comunidad y la ética del “tequio”: trabajar juntos para ayudarse mutuamente. Aunque esta exhibición celebra a las comunidades Indígenas Mexicanas, también cuenta la historia humana de quienes se mudan o migran a nuevos lugares, llevan sus tradiciones y crean un hogar.
EnFoque is a traveling exhibition by the Museum of Ventura County. This exhibition was created by the Museum of Ventura County and brought to the Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center with support from Ventura County Credit Union, the Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center Foundation and the Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center.
Location: Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center, 3050 E. Los Angeles Ave, Simi Valley, CA 93065 | For info: www.svcac.org
Image: Danza Flor Bonita, taken at Seaside Wilderness Park, Ventura, CA. Photograph by Diego Huerta, Copyright Museum of Ventura County