Fronteriza, Oak Cliff Cultural Center, Dallas, Texas, 2022
The title “Fronteriza” reflects our conversations about being “of the border”-a broader concept that encompasses family heritage and cultural history. While some of the artists in the exhibition grew up in the Texas borderlands, others find border issues to be relevant in their work because of the proximity of Texas to Mexico. Many of the artists identify with the concept of Nepantla: a Nahuatl word that means, in between or in the middle of it. Mexican Americans often describe the experience of life in the US as living in the middle and not belonging fully to each culture. In this regard we are experiencing life on the US side while being cognizant of what is happening along the border in relation to Mexico.
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Nuestra collective’s objective to create opportunities and to engage with the community prompted us to organize interactive events tied to the exhibit including a Dreamers Mercado and Conchas y Conversaciones. The goal of these events is to provide access to opportunities and resources and bring the local community together. Dreamers Mercado is a market style event that includes women vendors from the surrounding community and representatives from activist organizations providing immigration information. At Conchas y Conversaciones with socially conscious culinary forces Más Que Pan and Break Bread Break Borders, we hope a healing conversation about the border and immigration will take place among the attendees who are able to hear and tell stories about these experiences.
Dreamers Mercado
Nuestra collective worked with Break Bread, Break Borders and the Oak Cliff Cultural Center to facilitate a community conversation about difficult topics such as immigration.
Community Dialogue
Fronteriza art exhibition
Nuestra collaborated to curate and install an exhibition that included artworks related to immigration and the Mexico/U.S. border.
