ROME - A new immersive contemporary art exhibit has opened in the Piazza Navona, showcasing 54 works of 28 Mexican-American artists. “In Your Face: Chicano Art after C.A.R.A” is a free artistic experience in Rome that highlights the creative activist work of Mexican-Americans after 1985.

 After the success of the “C.A.R.A – Chicano Art: Resistance and Affirmation” travelling exhibit in the United States, Mexico, and Spain, the “In Your Face” exhibit revives the verve and energy of the Chicano art movement and introduces it to an entirely new audience. Linda Vallejo, an artist and curator of the exhibition said, “The exhibit aims to improve appreciation of Chicano art as part of the greater canon of art history, and inclusion in American art conversations.”

 At a discussion panel at the American University of Rome on Sept. 29, three participating artists shared their excitement for the opening of the exhibition and provided the audience of students with the rich history of Chicano art and their own stories as “starving artists.” Vallejo said at the panel, “As an artist in a marginalized community, the real question isn’t what you’re willing to give up to live your passion – it’s what you’re not willing to give up.”

 The art of “In Your Face” embodies this unique struggle and history with all the vibrant colors and contemporary spirit of Chicano art. The exhibit boasts traditional Chicano sculpture work, intricate murals that decorate the streets of Los Angeles, graffiti, paintings of all mediums and photography celebrating Chicano history.

 The exhibit is open, free admission, until Jan. 31 at Piazza Navona 91.