'The Journey North' explores migration and shared humanity in Dallas
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La Frontera by Jesus Alba, a life-size piece depicting the southern border wall, on view in The Journey North: Hope, Labor and Culture. Photo courtesy of the Latino Arts Project.
A new art exhibit at the Latino Cultural Center asks what a border really divides.
Why it matters: "The Journey North: Hope, Labor and Culture" features more than 40 works by local artists exploring the physical and emotional realities of migration beyond the headlines.
Some of the highlights include:
- "La Frontera" by Jesus Alba — a real ladder leaning against steel bars depicting the southern border wall, along with real dirt and a backpack holding a family photo left behind.
- "Nos cortaron las alas y aun volamos" ("They cut our wings, and still we fly"), by Karla Ramirez-Santin — a rigid paper blanket pierced with butterfly-shaped cutouts, with paper butterflies suspended on wire as they travel across the wall, echoing monarch migration.
- "The Divide" by Oliver Parr — a Lego re-creation of a river crossing in the Rio Grande Valley.
What they're saying: "The takeaway I want people to have from this show is that immigration is a natural process," Jorge Baldor, founder of the Latino Arts Project, tells Axios.
- "It's a way for people to bring not only their skills and labor, but also their culture and enrich the country they're going to."
If you go: "The Journey North" is on view through Feb. 27 at the Latino Cultural Center, 2600 Live Oak St., in Dallas. Admission is free.
Worthy of your time: Watch our video review of the exhibit.