Meet Ariel X. Hernandez, Self Help Graphics & Art's Archive Intern
Judithe Hernandez, Eve Awakening, 2012.
By Ariel X. Hernandez and Jennifer Cuevas
Meet Ariel Xochitl Hernandez, a historian who studies the history of death and religion in Los Angeles through the lens of Chicanx art and the Chicano Movement. In 2021, Ariel’s research on the history and necropolitics of Día de los Muertos in Los Angeles was awarded by the Los Angeles City Historical Society. They recently concluded an archive internship at Self Help Graphics & Art and a graduate program at California State University, Los Angeles.
JC: Tell us who you are, your pronouns and about your role at SHG. How many years have you been an intern at SHG?
AH: My name is Ariel Xochitl Hernandez, my pronouns are they/she, and I worked as the Archive Intern at SHG for around four years. My main goal was maintaining SHG’s database of artists and artwork, documenting the provenance of artworks, and filling in any missing data. I often joked that I was the elusive intern, rarely seen but always in the background somewhere.
JC: What are your first memories of SHG and historical connection to the organization?
AH: My mom is the Chicana artist Judithe Hernandez and she always told me stories about SHG when I was growing up. I was born and raised in Chicago, but we would often come back to LA in the spring and winter to visit family. She would always tell me stories about Sister Karen and showed me the work of artists like Patssi Valdez and Gronk of Asco, Leo Limon, Yreina Cervantes, etc. I think the first time I stepped into SHG’s current home was when I was in high school, we were visiting during a spring break. Our visits became semi-regularly when we permanently returned to Los Angeles in 2010, especially during the time she printed the Eve Awakening serigraph in 2012 and after the 2015 Dia de los Muertos exhibition which she was part of.
JC: How did you learn about this internship and what previous academic or life experiences prepared you for this unique opportunity?
AH: I had always wanted to intern at Self Help Graphics. When I was in undergrad I tried applying for the Archive and Documentation Internship through the Getty MUI program a couple of times, but didn’t get accepted. In 2018, I was working as an intern for a curator at LACMA; it was my first ever internship, but it wasn’t very long. My mom and I attended the La Plaza Gala that year and Betty saw us. We talked and she asked me if I could join SHG when my time at LACMA was up and I said yes. It really was a matter of being at the right place at the right time.
JC: What are some of the most impactful projects or experiences that you had an opportunity to work on while in the archive internship role?
AH: I think the project I’m the most proud of was my contribution to the Día de los Muertos workbook zine, where I wrote the historical information on the holiday and its many elements. The most impactful experiences for me have been participating during Noche de Ofrenda and Dia de los Muertos. In Chicago, mom and I were very isolated from our community, our family, and our friends; our history is here in LA. Having an active role in Dia de los Muertos season has enabled me to reconnect with my roots and foster stronger relationships with the artists and people who have been participating for generations.
JC: We’ve seen you grow from a budding undergraduate history student, to a thriving historian graduate scholar through the duration of your internship. Tell us about your academic interests and current research.
AH: My areas of study are the history of death and religion in Los Angeles through the lens of Chicano/a/x art. Most of my work has focused on the Eastside. I’ve always had an interest in the history of LA, it’s a city that is grossly misunderstood by the rest of the United States. It’s a city that American popular culture perceives as glamorous, superficial, and dangerous. In reality, LA is a complicated city with deep inequalities rooted in settler colonialism. My work examines the city’s unique relationship with artistic, religious, and political movements. Also, many of the artists that participated in the Chicano Art Movement are elders now; placing their stories and voices within LA history, within Chicano/a/x history, has been a key focus of my work as well.
JC: Can you tell us further about your graduate thesis, Skeletons in Aztlan, and how that intersects with your graduate research?
AH: My thesis focuses on the necropolitical history of Dia de los Muertos in Los Angeles, and its relationship with the Chicano Movement and the Chicano Art Movement. When I started my master’s program, I knew I wanted my thesis to be on Dia de los Muertos in LA. I noticed that its connection to the city was always mentioned, but never examined more in depth. For my thesis, I wanted to contextualize its development within the history of LA and focus on the ways Chicano/a/xs used arts associated with the holiday to process their relationship with death during the 1960s and 1970s. The main goal of my research was to show that Dia de los Muertos is part of Los Angeles history and is an important part of Chicano/a/x history.
JC: What visual artists are you following right now that you recommend? We know you love music. What’s in your music playlist right now?
AH: An artist I’ve admired for a really long time is Tamara Santibañez. Their tattooing and Rebel Irreverence series are really stunning, I could just stare at their art forever. I also love the work by Jen Zee, an artistic director at Supergiant Games. Hades is one of my all-time favorite video games and her designs for the chthonic gods of Greek mythology have a special place in my heart. As for music, my regular rotation of bands on my playlists include Bolt Thrower, Feminazgûl, Venom Prison, Body Void, Immortal Bird, Mystic Priestess, and Vile Creature with a healthy helping of Lady Gaga.
JC: What advice would you give to an incoming intern who may be interested in working in the arts and/or specifically the archive at SHG?
AH: My advice would be to keep an open mind, open eyes, and open ears. History isn’t just what’s collected in an institution or what’s been written decades or centuries ago. It’s everywhere. Whether you become an academic or work for an arts organization, always find ways to honor the spirits of the city. You are a steward to their histories and voices.
Ariel Xochitl Hernandez is a historian who studies the history of death and religion in Los Angeles through the lens of Chicanx art and the Chicano Movement, and Self Help Graphics & Art’s former archive intern. They hold an M.A. in History from California State University, Los Angeles.
Jennifer Cuevas is SHG’s Communications Consultant. She is an solopreneur and cultural arts producer, with a passion for the arts and social impact.