San Bernardino artist finds inspiration through culture

Among Ricardo Moctezuma’s work, a 2022 CSUSB graduate, there are vibrantly colored axolotls, jaguars and coyotes that can easily catch passerbys’ attention.

Moctezuma’s axolotl pieces are popular amongst the November 19 San Bernardino Art Walk attendees. Within minutes of one another, a customer purchased an axolotl sticker, while another bought an original painting of the aquatic amphibian.

Korina Faoi was drawn to Moctezuma’s style, and purchased the painting to gift her boyfriend for Christmas.

“It’s very whimsical, I like the colors, the bright purple with pink,” Faoi said.

While Moctezuma’s axolotl pieces are popular, his favorite creation is “Tianguis de Tenochtitlan”.

The piece depicts a pre-colonial market in Mexico in front of Aztec pyramids. Shoppers and buyers are seen exchanging goods on what appears to be a sunny, peaceful day. The piece is also meant to invoke a sense of pride in Latinx people.

“Growing up in the U.S. education system, you kind of get this feeling that your culture isn’t important or you feel like you’re nothing,” Moctezuma said. “It feels like western European people had to civilize you but that’s not true, we were already civilized.”

Aside from celebrating his culture, creating is also therapeutic for Moctezuma. He describes himself as an emotional person, and this occasionally made him feel inadequate.

“After my college years, when I was able to focus on myself, I went into a reflective state where I looked into my past and how I was feeling,” Moctezuma said. “Through my art I illustrated what was going on with me.”

Moctezuma hopes that the themes of his artwork can help other people as well.

“I want my art to help with mental health and to educate, I like to use illustration to educate about pre colonial topics,” Moctuzema said.

These driving factors are also apparent to those who know Moctezuma and are familiar with his work.

While attending CSUSB Moctezuma took an art in activism course led by Andrew Thompson. During his time in Thompson’s class, Moctezuma painted his “Tianguis de Tenochtitlan” piece. Thompson saw the piece as a turning point in Moctezuma’s artistic journey.

“I was like okay, now you’re talking, now you’re communicating,” Thompson said. “I think of his development as finding his voice and focus through delving into the indigenous side of himself”.

Thompson also believes that the piece can benefit the Latinx community.

“It offers representation, reflection and helping people reconnect because not everybody speaks an individual language but many people have similar feelings and desires,” Thompson said. While Moctezuma hopes to enrich people’s views of pre colonial communities, he also has a drive in him to encourage all young artists.

“I really want to get into the teaching field and hope to inspire other youth and help them creatively express themselves,” Moctezuma said.

Throughout Moctezuma’s growth as an artist people have encouraged him, while others cast words of doubt. But rather than be discouraged, Moctezuma turned others’ skepticism into fuel to pursue his goals and believes other artists should do the same.

“If you do want to pursue it, show that you’re serious about this and put the work into it, and show that you really mean it and that you’re inspired,” Moctezuma said.