Our Empire – James McClung & Marcus Mercado

This exhibition is a visual exploration of the Inland Empire, told through the combined perspectives of two artists raised in Redlands, California: James McClung and Marcus Mercado. While their individual styles differ, they are united by a shared commitment to storytelling and to re-examining the environments that have shaped them. Growing up in the Inland Empire means living within a region often overlooked, misunderstood, or reduced to stereotypes. Yet within its cities lies a uniquely diverse landscape — industrial corridors, suburban sprawl, historic downtowns, desert edges, mountain backdrops, and the everyday spaces where culture, identity, and community intersect. This body of work documents and reinterprets these scenes through a stylistic lens that elevates the familiar into something worth lingering on. Through imagery depicting locations throughout the surrounding cities, the artists highlight the beauty, tension, and character embedded in the Inland Empire's built and natural environments. Parking lots, street corners, signage, storefronts, and neighborhoods become subjects — not as background elements, but as central figures in the story of the region. By focusing on what is often passed over, the work invites viewers to see these spaces with renewed attention and appreciation. James McClung and Marcus Mercado approach these scenes with contrasting visual languages that complement one another. Together, the work creates a dialogue — between styles, between artists, and between the viewer and the place being represented. Ultimately, this exhibition serves as both a celebration and a recontextualization of the Inland Empire. It reclaims visual narratives of the community and presents them with intention, care, and pride. By offering a new way of seeing what has long existed, the exhibition sparks conversations about place, belonging, and the value of overlooked landscapes.