Let's face it, when it comes to hot sauce, East Coasters could learn a thing or two from West Coasters when it comes to turning up the heat by adding hot sauce, thus making for more of an exciting culinary experience -- and even artistic exploration.

Case in point, California's two defining hot sauces -- Sriracha and Tapatio -- that are the focus of "L.A. Heat: Taste-Changing Condiments," a collection of mixed-media pieces by 30 local artists at the Chinese American Museum, the Los Angeles Times reports.

"Hot sauce pop culture art" is multidimensional in many ways, it's colorful, it packs a punch and oftentimes it incorporates Mexican or Vietnamese cultures, but it also serves as a common ground for Latinos and other nationalities who value hot sauce.

How did the idea of the "L.A. Heat: Taste-Changing Condiments" exhibit catch fire?

The spicy art exhibit was the brainchild of Steve Wong, the museum's interim executive director.

"Condiments are taste enhancers, there's this carnal part of me that just loves hot sauces, the staff here loves hot sauces as well. It's L.A.," he said.

The dynamic duo and kings of hot sauce, Tapatio founder Jose-Luis Saavedra and David Tran of Sriracha fame attended the opening reception.

Saigon-born David Tran, who has been dubbed "a hot sauce visionary," started out with a dream to create a version of Vietnamese ketchup, but instead his family made various dipping sauces and sold them to the soldiers during the Vietnam war. The dipping sauce that won over the soldiers' palettes was the Sriracha sauce, which is a "spicy, oil-based sauce that goes well with grilled meats."

So when Tran and his family raised enough money, they immigrated to the United States to start a new chapter, and grow more successful with their dipping sauces.

"Sriracha is a blend of red jalepeños, garlic, sugar, salt, and vinegar-in a bottle bearing a distinctive rooster seal. Initially, he hoped to sell his 'Rooster Sauce' to Vietnamese immigrants. But soon, Sriracha became an American mega-hit," according to Mental Floss.

Today Sriracha continues to fly off the shelves with 10 mliion bottles produced -- the labeling is also in various languages including Vietnamese, Chinese, Spanish, French and English.

Forty years ago, Saavedra, 82, became inspired to create Tapatio sauce surprisingly when he was in his garage. The "spicy and tangy" sauce got its name after the nickname was used to describe someone from Guadalajara, Mexico, his home town.

"Our hot sauce crosses cultures," Saavedra said.

He got his encouragement when he brought his sauce to his workplace where his co-workers tested it out -- and of course it was a hit. It wasn't easy at first, but he got his big break when a Japanese grocery store wanted several cases of it, and then it began to fly off of the shelves as well. Today, Saavedra is the founder and chief executive of the very successful, Tapatío Foods.

What can hot sauce aficionados expect when they attend the exhibit?

According to the LA Times:

"Bean Sprout Uprising: troop 626" by Sandra Low -- Her female subject is part of a guerrilla army of Girl Scouts battling social ills and absurdities. "I remember bringing dried pork floss in my lunch and everyone sitting around me thought it was absolutely disgusting."

"Los Angeles Grocery" by Patrick Martinez -- Martinez illustrates the similarities in the food and condiments commonly found in all Asian and Latino markets by placing them side by side. The aesthetic is inspired by liquor store neon signs.

"Message in a Bottle" by Jari Werc Alvarez -- This piece illustrates cultural idioms by reinterpreting slang and subcultural language into surreal landscapes that are made up of ephemera, words and symbols.

"On the topic of how various sauces can make pizza better" by Michael C. Hsiung -- Illustrates the effect of both Sriracha and Tapatio on Los Angeles food and culture and suggests the sauces have evolved some of our most familiar cuisines.

"Proposal for a mural dedicated to David Tran" by Audrey Chan -- Inspired by community murals that chronicle and glorify immigrants' pursuit of the American Dream. This freighter carried Tran to the U.S. in 1978 after the Vietnam War.

"L.A. heat" by Daniel González -- His work highlights two fundamental sauces created in Los Angeles that are entangled in a popularity contest fought in food trucks, restaurants and kitchens across the city.

Are you hungry yet, or in need of that special sauce?

Well, if that's the case, you can check out "L.A. Heat," which will run through July 12 at the Chinese American Museum, 425 North Los Angeles St., Los Angeles, Calif. For additional information, visit the museum's website at camla.org. Suggested admission is $3 for adults, $2 for seniors 60 and over, and students with ID.