Aquí es donde soñamos / This is where we dream, 2023, 60 in x 30 in
Cotton bandanas, cotton muslin, hand embroidery, relief print
The border is a place full of possibilities, somewhere where people come to look for better opportunities or with the hope of crossing to el otro lado (the other side). Many people grow up in this place with the looming presence of militarization, enforcement, and barriers. The borderlands are where people thrive and dream regardless of the oppressive systems around them. This piece aims to illustrate the feeling of growing up on the border in Tijuana and how it is similar to migrating and having a continued sense of in-betweenness. The artist's mother tongue is emphasized but underlined by English, now the language that dominates a lot of her daily life, the language her daughter is growing up in. The snails carry their home like we carry our culture, with symbols of growth throughout. Watchful eyes represent a sense of surveillance, both literal and figurative.
Photos: Jordan Rodriguez