Victor Ochoa was born on August 2, 1948. He is an activist, painter, graphic designer, and master muralist. He has created more than 100 murals, many of which are located in San Diego, California. He is seen as one of the first people to help start San Diego's Chicano art movement. Ochoa was among the first activists involved in creating Chicano Park and helped start Centro Cultural de la Raza in Balboa Park, both in San Diego. He also played a key role in forming the Border Art Workshop/Taller de Arte Fronteriza (BAW/TAF). Ochoa teaches art and shares knowledge about Chicano heritage. His artwork has been displayed in places across the United States and around the world, including at the Venice Bi-Annual, the Museum of Contemporary Art in San Diego, and in the important exhibition, Chicano Art: Resistance and Affirmation (CARA). In addition to creating art, he is skilled in preserving murals and other artworks. He is regarded as an important cultural resource in the border region.

Biography

Ochoa’s family has a long history of working to fight discrimination. He was born in South Central Los Angeles, and later his family moved to East Los Angeles. When Ochoa was seven years old, his family was taken away from Los Angeles by United States Immigration as part of "Operation Wetback." Ochoa lived in Tijuana, Mexico, for about ten years. During this time, he worked with his family in a woodworking factory when he was old enough to help. Later, his family was able to return to Los Angeles. Ochoa said that living in Mexico helped him understand more about racism, discrimination, and how people in the United States viewed Mexicans.

Ochoa always liked school and believed he was a good student. In junior high, an event deeply affected him. He tried to help another student who only spoke Spanish. At the school, there was a rule against speaking Spanish. When a teacher heard Ochoa using Spanish, the teacher became angry and started to criticize the Spanish language and make fun of Mexicans, according to Ochoa. Ochoa was surprised by the teacher’s behavior and hit the teacher. He was taken to the principal’s office, but he was not punished. Instead, the event led to Ochoa and the principal becoming friends later in life.

Ochoa graduated from high school in 1967 and moved to San Diego, California. In San Diego, he attended City College and got a degree in technical drawing. Later, he went to San Diego State University and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in 1974.

While in college, Ochoa became involved with Chicano activism. In April 1970, he saw posters at the City College Student Center about a protest to take over a park, which later became Chicano Park. Ochoa left class to join the protest. He and other artists painted murals on the park to show their support for the neighborhood. With friends like Guillermo Aranda, Mario Acevedo, Tomas Casteneda, and Salvatore Borjas, Ochoa painted walls and structures near Logan Avenue, claiming the park for the community. As the city recognized the park, Ochoa continued to help improve the art and organization of Chicano Park. He later became part of the leadership group for Chicano Park. Ochoa has continued to work on the park’s restoration, including writing a guide on how to repair the murals.

Ochoa was part of the group that started the Centro Cultural de la Raza, called Tolecas en Aztlán. As people argued about creating the Centro in Balboa Park, Ochoa helped negotiate during protests. Later, he served as a director for the Centro from 1970 to 1973 and again from 1988 to 1990.

Ochoa has taught in many different ways over the years. He said he never wanted to be a full-time teacher, but when his son was born, he wanted to have a steady income. Ochoa taught at the MAAC Community Charter School for 13 years and retired in 2014. He also taught at Grossmont College for about 23 years. Ochoa taught at UCSD and San Diego Mesa College. Many of his teaching jobs helped the community, such as when he worked with youth to create murals using a grant from the Jacobs Foundation in the Diamond Neighborhoods in southeastern San Diego. Ochoa and other artists provided free paint and painted areas near Chollas Creek. The program was called Graff Creek. Teaching youth how to paint helped reduce the amount of graffiti in the neighborhood. Ochoa worked as an art consultant for the Jacobs Foundation for 11 years. He has since retired from teaching but plans to continue painting and working with children’s art classes and workshops.

Ochoa has a son named Victor and a daughter named Xochitl.

Art

Ochoa believes that public art, such as murals, is an important way to teach people in his community. He thinks many Chicanos do not visit galleries or museums and instead learn about history and other ideas through public art. His murals show pre-Columbian culture, Mexican heroes, and other subjects he chooses to help people understand important issues. Ochoa feels that sharing Chicano history through murals and other art forms is one of the most reliable ways to learn about the movement.

Book

Ochoa, Victor (2006). Chicano Park Mural Restoration Technical Manual. San Diego, California: Cal Trans District 11 and the Chicano Park Steering Committee.

Quotes

Art helps solve problems in society. Chicano art shows how people have dealt with challenges they face.