Cruz Ortiz, with his bright, lively, fractured portraiture, uses works on paper for historical preservation and documentation. Ortiz’s Nuevo Tejas (New Texas) aesthetic incorporates Spanglish text, abstract figures, and dreamlike scenery, embracing the playfulness of Chicano culture to depict the unique perspectives of Tejano communities. Central to this approach is Ortiz’s notable use of language: the artist’s use of both Spanish and English does not simply acknowledge bilingualism, but instead emphasizes the merging of the two languages as essential to defining Mexican American identity itself.