A gallery of contemporary Mexican art pieces inspires conversation about borders and how to cross them
Artwork emerging from south of the border has crossed over and made its way onto the walls of the UMC Art Gallery and will remain on display through the end of the month.
The “2007 Crossing Borders” art exhibition presents a varied collection of artwork from the National School of Fine Arts in Mexico.
While the gallery is an array of vibrant collages, altered photographs and detailed printmaking, its appeal goes beyond aesthetics. The content of the work renders the concept of boundaries.
“(The gallery) addresses ideas of immigration and border relations between the U.S. and Mexico,” said Kory Katsimpalis, an art history graduate student and manager of the UMC gallery.
The art gallery inspired a panel of CU professors and faculty to discuss the exhibit and the term “borders” in both the literal and allegorical sense. The panel was held on Sept. 17 at the UMC Art Gallery.
“I think this exhibition is about a neighbor we don’t know,” said George Rivera, an art professor and curator for the exhibit.
The title of the exhibit, “Crossing Borders,” also applies to the boundaries present in art education.
Joni Palmer, a doctoral student studying geography, said that few students understand the actual history and culture behind art.
Rivera agreed and said that most of the art taught today is too Eurocentric and has therefore stunted education about other cultures.
“If anyone needs to cross the border, it’s us who need to cross the intellectual border,” Rivera said.
Karen Ramirez, a professor in the Sewall-Residential Academic Program, also agreed and said that the boundary is a conceptual deficit that keeps Americans from understanding history.
“The border, really if there is a border, is in the imagination,” Ramirez said.
Yet despite these restrictions that have emerged because of boundaries, one message remained consistent throughout the panel: Artistic expression remains borderless.
“Art has no boundaries,” Rivera said.
The “Crossing Borders” art exhibition runs through Sept. 28 at the UMC Art Gallery.
Contact Campus Press Staff Writer Sara Fossum at sara.fossum@colorado.edu.
