Celebrating the Icons, Imagery and Creative Energy of Modern Culture
The City of Santa Clarita is pleased to present its latest art exhibition, “Pop Culture,” on view at the Newhall Community Center (22421 Market Street) now through March 25, 2026. This vibrant showcase invites guests to explore the influence, nostalgia and visual language of contemporary culture through a wide range of artistic interpretations.
“Pop Culture” celebrates the imagery, symbols and stories that shape our shared cultural experience. From film, comics and music to fashion, technology and iconic American advertising, the exhibition highlights how popular culture continues to inspire, challenge and connect us. Artists reflect on both the playful and profound elements of cultural memory, creating works that explore identity, imagination and the ways we interact with the world around us.
Among the featured artists is Drew Salaz, whose oil paintings blend realism with the bold, dynamic worlds of comics and animation. “Growing up watching movies and cartoons and reading comic books, I’m interested in bringing those stories and themes into my artwork,” Salaz explains. His pieces merge pop culture motifs with personal experience, creating works that are at once nostalgic, contemporary and deeply narrative.
Also featured is Mary K. Roth, a photographer whose hand-painted silver prints reinterpret iconic pop culture imagery through a uniquely expressive lens. “Pop culture images and icons are reflections of our American and human experience,” Roth shares. Her featured work, “The Real Thing,” blends photography with Marshall oil paints, transforming familiar cultural symbols into richly textured works of art.
The exhibiting artists include: Kristen Baladi, Cary Bruecher, Isaac Brynjegard-Bialik, Zachary Dominguez, Soyoung James, Sol Kang, Dore Kittrell, Katie McGuire, Laurence Morand, Jeffrey Mueller, Jasimen Phillips, Mary K. Roth, Drew Salaz, Lee Schollnick, Rose Smither, Jayme Sun Thomas and Lori Wakefield.
The image attached to this press release is titled “The Real Thing” by Mary K. Roth. To learn more about “Pop Culture” and upcoming art opportunities with the City of Santa Clarita, please visit SantaClaritaArts.com or contact Garrett Fagan at ArtistCall@SantaClarita.com.
