José Arenas (b. 1971) is a painter and educator whose work explores the complexities of immigrant identity, cultural memory and belonging. Drawing on his experience growing up in both Mexico and the United States, Arenas creates large-scale paintings that combine culturally resonant symbols, objects and figures in collage-like compositions set against patterned backgrounds. By dislocating imagery from familiar contexts, his work evokes experiences of migration, displacement and negotiating multiple cultural identities. Arenas received his B.F.A. from the San Francisco Art Institute in 1995 and his M.F.A. from the University of California, Davis, in 2000. He joined the faculty of UC Davis’ Department of Chicano Studies in 2017 and serves as executive director of Taller Arte del Nuevo Amanecer (TANA), the department’s community-based arts center in Woodland, California. Founded by artist and UC Davis Professor Emeritus Malaquías Montoya, TANA connects university teaching and artistic practice with the surrounding community.