>> IT IS MY PLEASURE TO WELCOME ALL OF YOU TO THIS NEW EXHIBITION THAT POINT OF CONTACT BRINGS TO OUR COMMUNITY.

WE ARE COMMEMORATING NATIONAL HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH WITH THIS INCREDIBLE NEW EXHIBIT, THE BORDER IS A WEAPON.

HERE AT THE MUSE LAB GALLERY WHICH HAS BEEN HOME TO POINT OF CONTACT FOR THE LAST 12 YEARS.

WE COULD NOT BE MORE EXCITED AND DEEPLY GRATEFUL FOR THE NEW COLLABORATION WITH SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY'S MUSEUM STUDIES PROGRAM.

THANK YOU TO ANDREW SALUTI, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF MUSEUM STUDIES AND TO HIS STUDENTS WHO HAVE DONE AN EXTRAORDINARY WORK INSTALLING THIS EXHIBITION.

THANK YOU ALSO TO THE MEXICAN STUDENT ASSOCIATION, MEXSA FOR THE PARTNERSHIP IN THE THIS PROJECT.

THIS PROJECT IS PART OF THIS YEAR'S SYRACUSE SYMPOSIUM ON LANDSCAPES, SPONSORED BY THE SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY HUMANITIES CENTER.

AND WE THANK THE HUMANITIES CENTER AS WELL AS THE SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENTS AND PROGRAMS WHO CO-SPONSORED THIS EXHIBIT, THE LATINO LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES PROGRAM, THE LENDER CENTER FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE , THE PROGRAM ON LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN.

PLACA.

THE DEPARTMENT OF PROGRAM LITERATURES AND LINGUISTICS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

(SPEAKING SPANISH) AND NOW IT IS MY PLEASURE TO WELCOME TWO GENTLEMEN WHO WILL BE LEADING TONIGHT'S PRESENTATION.

FROM THE LAREDO CENTER FOR THE ARTS, THE CURATOR OF THIS SHOW, GIL ROCHA.

AND THE PROFESSOR OF THE STUDIO ARTS, JUAN WAWR JUAREZ WHO IS ALSO ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US TODAY.

>> THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

BACK IN THE SUMMER OF 2022, I WAS DOWN IN MY HOMETOWN OF LAREDO, TEXAS.

SO I'M ALSO A LA RAID OWEN.

AND AND I WAS DOING A RESEARCH PROJECT, VISITING FAMILY AS WELL AND THERE WAS AN EXHIBITION THAT WAS GOING TO BE OPENING IN JULY AT THE BIRDIER IS A P WITH.

I WAS FLOORED WITH THE WORK AND CREATIVITY HAPPENING IN LAREDO, TEXAS, CONTEMPORARY ART, THE ISSUES AROUND THE BORDER, IDENTITY.

AFTER I WENT BACK TO SYRACUSE, I CONTACTED THEM IMMEDIATELY AND I SAID YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO BRING THIS SHOW TO SYRACUSE.

THAT'S WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.

IT WAS REALLY GREAT TO MAKE IT HAPPEN HERE IN LAREDO.

AND IN THIS PAST SUMMER, I WENT DOWN AGAIN TO LAREDO.

I GO ON A SUMMER TREK TO LAREDO TO RECHARGE MY SOUL, AND WE HAD A CONVERSATION, YOU KNOW, GIL AND I ABOUT THE EXHIBITION, ABOUT THE IDEAS BEHIND THE EXHIBITION, YOU KNOW, KIND OF TACKLING SOME OF THE ISSUES AROUND, YOU KNOW, THE TITLE, THE IDEAS BEHIND THE TITLE, YOU KNOW, THINKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE LARGER KIND OF CONTEXT FOR THIS IDEA OF THE BORDER.

I THINK AT THAT POINT, IT STARTED TO GET, YOU KNOW, REALLY CONCRETE IN OUR MINDS THAT BRINGING THIS OVER TO SYRACUSE WOULD BE A REALLY GREAT WAY TO SHATTER THE MYTH OF THE BORDER, THE FRONT TERRA ONES AND MEXICO.

YOU GET IN THE NEWS THE MILITARIZED ZONE, FAILED I AM BUSH ADMINISTRATION POLICY AND IT'S MUCH MORE THAN THAT.

THAT'S OUR OUR CONVERSATION BEGAN TO BUILD AND EXPAND FOR THE CATALOG, FOR THE SHOW, ET CETERA.

>> THANK YOU EVERYONE, MY NAME IS GIL ROCHA.

I'M A FORMER EDUCATOR AND NOW, LIKE TE RA, I'M THE PRESIDENT FOR THE LAREDO CENTER FOR THE ARTS.

AN ARTIST, CURATOR AND NAVIGATOR OF THE ARTS.

AND LIKE JUAN SAID, YES, WE HAD THIS CONVERSATION BUT MAYBE TAKING IT A LITTLE BIT FURTHER BACK TO HOW THE PROJECT INITIATED.

IT STARTED THROUGH A FRIEND THAT I MET IN GRAD SCHOOL, LEAH PATGORSKI, WHO IS PART OF A COLLECTIVE CALLED THE OTHER BORDER WALL.

AND WITH HER IN THAT COLLECTIVE IS JENNIFER MEYERS AND I CAN LET LEAH TALK ABOUT THEIR PROJECT.

A SUMMARY OF IT IS THAT THEY WANTED TO FIND OUT WHAT WAS REALLY GOING ON AT THE BORDER AND IF WHAT THEY WERE LISTENING TO, I GUESS, UP FURTHER NORTH, WAS IT REAL?

WERE ALL THE FACTS STRAIGHT?

AND ONE-- WHAT HAPPENED WAS THAT THEY VISITED LAREDO, THEY FOUND OUT FOR THEMSELVES.

I TOOK THEM ACROSS TO THE NUEVO LAREDO SITE WHICH IS MEXICO AND SHOWED THEM FIRSTHAND HOW IT WAS.

AND EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT IN ITS IDEAL CONDITIONS LIKE IT USED TO BE MAKE A DECADE OR TWO DECADES AGO.

IT REALLY IS A VERY VIBRANT CITY, VERY VIBRANT BORDER.

PEOPLE ARE REAL FRIENDLY.

YOU KNOW, JUST CROSSING TO THE MEXICAN SIDE LIKE ALL YOUR SENSES OPEN.

THERE IS MUSIC AND SOUND AND FOOD AND ALL THESE THINGS THAT THEY SAW FIRSTHAND.

AND SO COMING BACK AS A COLLECTIVE, THEY WERE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE AN EXHIBITION IN PITTSBURGH AND THEY OFFERED ME TO BE THE CURATOR FOR THAT EXHIBITION.

SO I TOOK THE ASSIGNMENT OF GATHERING FIVE ARTISTS THAT I KNOW REALLY WELL, FIELD THEM FROM LAREDO, EL PASO AND SAN ANTONIO, AND JUST TO INTRODUCE REAL QUICK, THE ARTIST FOR THE PITTSBURGH EXHIBITION WAS JUAN DE DIOS MORA, WHO ACCOMPANYING US AND HERE IS JUAN DE DIOS MORA [ APPLAUSE ] JUAN DE DIOS MORA IS IS AN ARTIST, AN EDUCATOR, HE WORKS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SAN ANTONIO.

HE IS A MASTER PRINT MAKER.

YESTERDAY HE GAVE A TALK HERE IN SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY, AMAZING STORYTELLER.

I'LL LET HIM TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HIS WORK IN JUST A SECOND.

AND LET ME INTRODUCE, THIS IS LEAH PATGORSKI WITH THE OTHER BORDER WALL COLLECTIVE.

AND HOLD ON.

LET ME INTRODUCE THE REST OF THE ARTISTS THAT ARE HERE PRESENT.

MARITZA BAUTISTA, WHO IS ALSO FROM LAREDO.

[ APPLAUSE ] AND I'LL LET THEM EXPLAIN AND, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE BIT OF WHO THEY ARE AND ABOUT THEIR WORK AND WE ALSO HAVE WITH US, ANGEL CABRALES.

[ APPLAUSE ] JOINING US IN THAT EXHIBITION UNDERSTAND IN PITTSBURGH IS ALSO ARTIST DANIELA AND THIS IS ONE OF JUAN'S WORK.

THE EXHIBITION TOOK PLACE IN JANUARY IN PITSZ BURPING, BUT THEN WORKING AT THE CENTER FOR THE ART AND BEING PART OF THE BOARD, I KNEW IT WAS A REALLY GOOD PACKAGED EXHIBITION.

IT WAS AMAZING AND I TOOK IT DOWN-- I PROPOSED IT TO THE BOARD, TOOK IT DOWN TO THE CENTER FOR THE ARTS AND THE CENTER, HAVING A WIDER SPACE AND , YOU KNOW, BIGGER SPACE THAN WHAT WE HAD IN PITTSBURGH, IN PITTSBURGH, IT WAS VERY POLITICAL ORIENTED.

I MEAN THE BORDER IS A WEAPON, BUT I WANTED TO GIVE IT MORE OF THE TYPE OF LIKE ANOTHER ASPECT OF WHO WE ARE.

AND I DON'T THINK WE HAVE EVEN COVERED EVERYTHING REPRESENTING ALL OF WHO WE ARE.

BUT I DECIDED TO INCLUDE INTO THE LAREDO EXHIBITION RUBIN LUNA , WHO GOES BY THE A.K., HIS NICKNAME IS GATHCO STYLE.

AND NOW THERE ARE SEVEN ARTISTS WHICH IS WHAT WE HAVE AT THE TIME IN THIS EXHIBITION, WHICH IS NOW THE THIRD PART OF THE BORDER AS A WEAPON.

WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, LET ME PRESENT TO YOU LEAH SO SHE CAN TALK MORE ABOUT HOW THE PROJECT CAME TO BE.

>> I'M LEAH.

I'M AN ARTIST BASED IN PITTSBURGH AND THERE WAS THIS INITIATIVE FROM THE GOVERNMENT WITH OUR FORMER PRESIDENT, YOU KNOW, BUILD THE WALL.

AND WITH THAT, THERE WAS, FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, A REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS ARE RFQ FOR PEOPLE TO SUBMIT TO GET HIRED TO BUILD A PART OF THE WALL.

SO WE DECIDED TO SUBMIT, BUT AS A KIND OF CREATIVE RESISTANCE SUBMISSION.

SO YOU WILL SEE THAT-- THAT'S WHAT YOU SEE ON THE WALL OVER HERE.

WE SAID OH WE WANT TO, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO POKE AT THIS BECAUSE THEY WANT SUBMISSIONS FOR LIKE THESE REALLY SERIOUS WALLS BUT WE ARE GOING TO SUBMIT OUR IDEA, JUST LIKE PENCIL DRAWINGS OF LIKE WHAT IF IT WAS JUST SOME TREES AND SOME HAMMOCKS FOR PEOPLE THAT NEED TO REST.

WHAT IF WE HAD THIS LIKE PIPE ORGANS.

WHAT IF IT WAS JUST LIKE WE PUT SOME WATER FUN TO ANS, JUST THINKING ABOUT MORE OF A JOYFUL RESPONSE.

I MEAN IF YOU NEED ANYTHING AT ALL, IT SHOULD BE SOMETHING HELPFUL, SOMETHING FUN.

SO WE SUBMITTED THOSE AND WE GOT UNEXPECTEDLY A LOT OF RESPONSE.

WE THOUGHT IT WAS JUST LIKE A PUNKISH THING THAT WE WOULD DO THAT NOBODY WOULD EVER SEE.

BUT THEN THERE WERE SOME ARTICLES THAT DID A ROUNDUP OF THE SUBMISSIONS AND WE WERE GETTING INCLUDED.

WE WERE GETTING CALLED BY PEOPLE AND ONE OF THE THINGS ON THE WALL IS SOME MANUFACTURER OF PIPE ORGANS ACTUALLY REACHED OUT TO US AND SAID HEY, WE WANT TO HELP YOU DO THIS.

AND WE GOT SOME OTHER KIND OF COOL CORRESPONDENCE LIKE THAT.

BUT YOU WILL ALSO SEE OUR REJECTION EMAIL FROM THE GOVERNMENT.

SO IT'S LIKE, WELL, I GUESS THAT'S NOT-- I GUESS WE ARE NOT WHO THEY ARE LOOKING FOR.

BUT WITH ALL THAT AT RESPONSE, WE DECIDED WE ARE GOING TO KEEP TALKING ABOUT THIS AND DOING THINGS ABOUT THIS AND WE HAD A CHANCE TO HAVE AN EXHIBITION IN HOUSTON AND WE WERE CALLING FROM OUR IDEAS AND WE THOUGHT WELL, WE NEED TO GO TO THE BORDER BECAUSE WE ARE IN PITTSBURGH.

WE DON'T KNOW JACK ABOUT THE BORDER.

AND/OR AT LEAST THAT PARTICULAR BORDER.

AND I'M LIKE, I HAVE THIS FRIEND, HIS NAME IS GIL AND MY FRIEND FROM ART SCHOOL, MAYBE WE CAN GO AND VISIT HIM AND, AS HE SAID, WE WENT TO LAREDO, WE HAD A SUPER GOOD TIME THERE.

LIKE HE GOT US TO BE ON THE RADIO.

HE GOT US TO BE ON TV.

WE WERE LIKE, HI, WE ARE JUST TRYING TO LEARN ABOUT THIS PLACE.

AND IT WAS AMAZING.

AND WE WERE JUST KIND OF CAPTIVATED WITH ALL THE BEGINNING OF THE THREADS THAT WE COULD TRY AND FOLLOW.

AND THEN FAST FORWARD, WE WANTED TO DO AN ART SHOW SOMEHOW WITH THIS IN PITTSBURGH AND FINALLY WE GOT SOME FUNDING AND THEN WE COULD INVITE HIM AND SAY, WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO AND KIND OF JUST WENT FOR IT FROM THERE.

SO FOR ME, IT'S JUST SUPER GREAT AND I'M JUST SO HAPPY TO SEE LIKE HOW THIS IS GOING FORWARD AND MORE AND MORE PEOPLE TO SEE THE WORK OF THESE ARTISTS AND, YEAH JUST SEE WHAT ELSE WE CAN DO.

>> SO JUST REAL QUICK, THE PROPOSING OF LIKE THE TITLE OF THE BORDER IS A WEAPON, I THOUGHT THAT IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO TAKE CONTROL OF IF SOMEBODY WAS GOING TO SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THE BORDER, EVEN IF IT WAS NEGATIVE, THAT IT WOULD BE US, YOU KNOW, REALLY EXPLAINING VISUALLY WHAT WE MEAN.

AND NOW THROUGH TALKS AND CONVERSATIONS AND INTERVIEWS AND THE CATALOG AND ALL THESE THINGS THAT WE WOULD GIVE A BETTER PERSPECTIVE COMING FROM US.

LIKE I SAID, THE BORDER IS NOT IDEAL.

THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS GOING ON, BUT WHO BETTER TO TALK ABOUT THIS THAN OURSELVES.

>> HI EVERYONE.

GOOD EVENING, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

MY NAME IS MARITZA BAUTISTA.

I AM A MULTIDISCIPLINARY ARTIST EDUCATOR AND WORKER FROM LAREDO, TEXAS AND MY WORK IS THE TEXT-BASED AND VIDEO WORK PROJECTION.

AND I HAVE SOME PHOTOS IN THE OTHER ROOM.

MY WORK IS ABOUT EXPLORING WEALTH.

I LIKE TO THINK OF HOW MONEY MOVES ALONG AND ACROSS THE U.S.-MEXICO BORDER, JUST ECONOMICAL THINGS THAT AFFECT STRUCTURES THAT EXIST IN SOCIETY.

SO THAT WHAT IS MY WORK IS ABOUT FOR THE BORDER IS A WEAPON.

>> MY NAME IS JUAN DE DIOS MORA AND MY ARTWORK, YOU ARE GOING TO FIND IT RIGHT NEXT TO THE RECEPTION AREA BACK THERE.

BLACK AND WHITE PRINTS.

I'M A PRINT MAKER AND I REALLY LOVE WHAT I DO BECAUSE BEING A PRINT MAKER, I CAN ACTUALLY PRINT MULTIPLES OF ONE PLATE, BASICALLY LIKE A STAMP.

THAT WAY I CAN ACTUALLY-- A LOT OF PEOPLE CAN HAVE MY REACTION OR THE WAY I FEEL ABOUT THE BORDER.

SO THAT WAY A LOT OF PEOPLE CAN ACTUALLY GET HOLD OF AN ARTWORK.

BUT MY MAIN MISSION, AND I THINK ALL OF US, VISION AND MISSION IS BASICALLY TO PROVIDE SOMETHING ABOUT SPECIFIC AREA OF THE UNITED STATES BECAUSE WE LIVE HERE.

SO LIVING ON THE BORDER FOR ME IS ACTUALLY GETTING ME SO MUCH.

IT'S NOT SO MUCH AS AN ARTIST BUT ALSO AS A HUMAN BEING.

SOMETIMES MY COMMUNITY STRUGGLE TO SURVIVE AND THEY STRUGGLE TO MOVE ON TO THE NEXT STEPS IN THEIR LIVES.

I WANTED TO PORTRAY MY COMMUNITY, MY FAMILY IN A WAY THAT THEY'RE HEROS TO ME.

SO THE ARTWORK, YOU ARE GOING TO SEE ALL THESE PEOPLE PROUD OF WHAT THEY DO AND WHAT THEY DESERVE, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE SOMETIMES WE TRY-- WE DON'T GIVE THEM CREDIT WHAT THEY DO; FOR EXAMPLE, MY PARENTS, THEY TRY SO HARD TO SURVIVE EVERY DAY.

THEY HAVE TWO JOBS.

TWO FULL-TIME JOSHES-- TWO FULL-TIME JOBS AND THAT MAKES ME UNDERSTAND THAT I NEED TO WORK HARDER FOR MY GOALS, FOR MY VISIONS AND FOR MY OBJECTIVES.

SO IN THAT ARTWORK, YOU ARE GOING TO SEE THE WORKING CLASS HOW THEY SURVIVE DAY BY DAY AND IN THE PRINT AND ARTWORK, YOU WILL SEE THE UNITY THAT THEY HAVE NOT JUST TO SURVIVE BUT TO SHOW THEIR PRIDE OF THEIR HERITAGE, THEIR CULTURE.

SO ONE THING THAT ACTUALLY I REALLY LOVE ABOUT MY PRINTS IS BASE WHICH I HOW-- BASICALLY HOW I SEE MYSELF IN THESE CHARACTERS.

EVERY TIME I DO A CHARACTER IN MY ARTWORK, I FEEL LIKE I'M GIVING AWAY SOMETHING THAT I FEEL AND PROBABLY IT'S MINE.

IT'S PART OF MY HEART AND I PUT IT IN THE PRINTS AND TRY TO SHARE WITH YOU.

HOPEFULLY YOU UNDERSTAND SOMETHING ABOUT THOSE, YOU KNOW, THOSE PRINTS.

IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, PLEASE BY ALL MEANS TALK TO ME, BUT THEN EVERYTHING IS ACTUALLY MADE FROM MY HEART AND HOPEFULLY YOU ENJOY IT AND HOPEFULLY YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT IS GOING ON THERE BUT EVERYTHING HAS TO DO ABOUT STORIES, HOW WE SURVIVE THE BORDER AND HOW WE CAN USE THE ART AS A FORMAL WEAPON.

IT'S NOT LITERALLY A WEAPON BUT AN EDUCATIONAL FORMAT AND SOMETHING TO SHARE CULTURE, TO SHARE SOMETHING THAT WE BELIEVE AND WE STILL ADORE BECAUSE THAT'S, LIKE I SAY, MY FAMILY.

>> HI EVERYBODY, MY NAME IS ANGEL CABRALES.

I'M FROM EL PASO, TEXAS.

I'M A MULTIMEDIA ARTIST.

BIG FOCUS IN SCULPTURE.

MINE IS THE BLINKING LIGHTS THAT ARE BEHIND YOU.

AND THE NEON PIECES OF AMERICA AND THE CAGED PINATA.

A BIG FOCUS ON THE WORK I HAVE IN HERE IS REALLY TALKING ABOUT THE DEHUMANIZATION OF MIGRANTS THAT HAPPENS IN THE MEDIA AND MY NEED TO TRY TO REID INDICATE PEOPLE.

REALLY TIEF TIEF REEDUCATE-- REEDUCATE THEM.

I COME FROM A BORDER COMMUNITY AND WE DO NOT HAVE THE REACTION THE MEDIA PORTRAYS.

A BIG PART OF THAT I ATTRIBUTE TO MY PARENTS.

MY DAD IS AN ENGINEER, HE WAS, HE IS RETIRED AT A MISSILE RANGE AND MY MOM IS A POLITICALLY ACTIVE STAY AT HOME MOM BUT THEY FOUND IT REALLY IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE WE NEVER LOST OUR ROOTS AND LEARNING THAT MY GRANDFATHER, WHO CAME DOWN FROM THE MOUNTAINS CAME TO THE U.S.

ILLEGALLY, SAVED MONEY, WENT BACK TO MEXICO AND PAID TO COME IN LEGALLY.

AND SO WHEN WE GREW UP, WE HAD LAND AND WE WOULD HAVE MIGRANTS THAT WOULD COME THROUGH AND WE WOULD HAVE A CUARTITO FOR THEM SO WE COULD PUT THEM UP FOR A NIGHT, A WEEK, HELP THEM AND LEARN THEIR STORIES AND HAVE DINNER WITH THEM AND THESE ARE PEOPLE JUST WANTING TO HELP THEIR FAMILIES AND LEARNING THAT OURSELVES, LIKE IF WE WERE IN THAT POSITION, WOULDN'T WE WANT THAT HELP, TOO.

SO IT WAS A BIG, BIG PART OF WHO I AM AND A BIG PART OF THE CITY I LIVE IN BECAUSE EVEN RIGHT NOW WITH THE THOUSANDS OF MIGRANTS THAT SHOWED UP IN EL PASO, YOU SEE OUR COMMUNITY REALLY PULLING TOGETHER, TRYING TO HELP THESE MIGRANTS.

I MEAN THE MEDIA BE LIKE, LOOK AT ALL THESE PEOPLE COMING IN BUT THEY'RE PEOPLE, THEY NEED HELP.

THAT'S WHAT MINE IS TALKING ABOUT.

IT'S LIKE TRY TO VIEW-- TRY TO LOOK AT IT FROM THEIR VIEW AND WHAT YOU WOULD WANT.

IF YOU WERE THAT POSITION, WHAT YOU WOULD WANT.

AND THEN THAT'S WHY ONE OF THE PIECES THAT IS TITLED YOU IN SPANISH, YOU FEAR IN PROPORTION TO YOUR IGNORANCE.

SO LEARN.

[ APPLAUSE ] >> I'M JUST GOING TO SAY THAT AS A CURATOR AND ARTIST, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT THIS WORK, REVIEWING IT AS THESE PAST FEW YEARS HAVE GONE BY, I HAVE LEARNED, THROUGHLY ARTWORK, DIFFERENT WAYS OF EVEN SEEING MYSELF, SEEING MYSELF IN THE BORDER AND ALSO LISTENING TO STORIES OF, YOU KNOW, AUDIENCES LIKE YOURSELF WHERE THEY CAN GET SOMETHING FROM THEMSELVES AND REALLY, YOU KNOW, COMPARE THEIR LIVES, EVEN IF IT IS REALLY FAR FROM A PHYSICAL BORDER, THERE IS ALWAYS LIKE BORDERS IN OUR CITIES, LIKE THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TRACK OR THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BRIDGE, YOU KNOW, AND THESE ARE CONNECTIONS THAT WE CAN MAKE AND EVEN OUTSIDE LIKE PHYSICAL CONNECTIONS, THERE IS ALSO LIKE EMOTIONAL CONNECTIONS.

SO I MEAN THAT IS REALLY SOMETHING THAT I AM SO APPRECIATIVE OF.

LIKE SEEING IN THIS EXHIBITION, I'M LEARNING AS I GO AND, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST HAPPY TO BRING THESE ARTISTS AND BE HERE MYSELF AND THANK YOU JUAN AND POINT OF CONTACT AND THE SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY AND EVERYBODY, ANDREW, BRICE, ALL THIS STUFF.

EVERYONE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DID.

THIS HAS BEEN LIKE A WHOLE YEAR'S PROJECT GOING BACK AND FORTH, EMAILS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND SO, YEAH, I THINK WE JUST, YOU KNOW, BRING IT WITH OUR FULL HEARTS SO YOU CAN HAVE AN OPEN MIND AND THEN WE CAN EACH TALK ABOUT IT AND EDUCATE OURSELVES BECAUSE I THINK THROUGH THAT, THAT'S HOW WE ARE GOING TO GROW AS A COMMUNITY, NOT ONLY IN THE BORDER BUT ALL THROUGHOUT.

>> AND ONE THING, JUST ONE THING TO KIND OF LIKE ADD TO THAT, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF LIKE THE CONVERSATIONS WE HAVING ABOUT THE WORK, ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE ARTISTS, THIS PAST SUMMER, YOU KNOW, SITTING DOWN AT YOUR STUDIO NEXT TO THE TRAIN TRACKS, TRYING TO SURVIVE THE TRAIN PASSING THE FREIGHT TRAIN PASSING BY.

YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS FOR ME, YOU KNOW, AS AN ARTIST AND NATIVE LAREDOAN, WHEN I WAS YOUNG BACK IN LAREDO, THE IDEA WAS THE BORDER WAS A GRAY ZONE.

IT'S PERMEABLE.

THINGS PASS THROUGH AND BEYOND THE BORDER.

RECENTLY SEEING THE BORDER HIGHLY MILITARIZED AND KIND OF CLOSED OFF, IT'S VERY TRAGIC AND VERY SAD TO ME AS A NATIVE LAREDOAN TO SEE THAT.

THAT WHOLE KIND OF LIKE OUR MOTTO, THE GATEWAY CITY, RIGHT?

AND THAT KIND OF BECAME KIND OF CLOSED IN A CERTAIN WAY.

BUT YOU KNOW, FOR ME GOING BACK TO LAREDO FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS ON THIS REGULAR TREK EVERY SUMMER, I STARTED TO DISCOVER MY ROOTS AGAIN.

AND I THINK SEEING THE SHOW TWO YEARS AGO WAS KIND OF LIKE YEAH, THIS IS REALLY GREAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT THESE ARTISTS ARE DOING, WHAT THEY'RE PRESENTING IN TERMS OF NOT JUST BEING FROM LAREDO BUT THE MORE EXPANSIVE IDEA OF YOU KNOW, THE BORDER AND BORDERS IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY AS WELL, BREAKING THOSE DOWN.

SO FOR ME IT'S BEEN A GREAT JOURNEY TO KIND OF BRING THIS TO SYRACUSE HAS BEEN LIKE, YOU KNOW, TOTALLY AWESOME.

IT'S A WICKED SHOW.

I THINK, PLEASE ENJOY THE EXHIBITION.

WE WOULD LIKE TO, YOU KNOW,OPEN IT UP FOR SOME QUESTIONS IF THE AUDIENCE.

>> I'M FROM LAREDO AND THIS IS HOME BASICALLY, LIKE EVERYTHING FROM THE STICKERS FROM H.E.B.

WHICH ARE WILD TO SEE, JUST EVERYTHING IS AMAZING AND IT'S SO DESCRIPTIVE OF OUR PEOPLE, SO MY QUESTION IS COMING FROM LAREDO, THERE IS A MIND SET THAT WHEN IMMIGRANTS GO OVER, THEY FORGET THAT WE ARE IMMIGRANTS, TOO.

HOW CAN YOU SAY WE CAN RECLAIM OUR POWER?

WOULD YOU SAY THAT ART WOULD BE A WAY TO UNIONIZE OR WHAT WAY WE CAN BRIDGE THE GAP?

>> I WOULD SAY THAT AS A CURATOR AND ARTIST, THE THING WAS THAT IN PAST GENERATIONS LIKE MY GRANDPARENTS AND MY PARENTS, THEY HAVE BEEN VERY MUCH INTO MAKING OBJECTS FOR SALE, ANYTHING FROM THE DIOS de LOSMUERTAS TO BLOUSES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

THEY HAVE PASSED THROUGH HARD ENOUGH SITUATIONS AND LEVELED THEMSELVES TO, I GUESS, A STABILITY ECONOMICALLY TO GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS OURSELVES THROUGH ARTWORK THAT WE KNOW THAT IT MIGHT NOT SELL, BUT THAT'S NOT THE POINT.

I THINK HAVING THIS OPPORTUNITY, YOU FROM LAREDO, BEING HERE IN SYRACUSE, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T KNOW HOW PROUD I WAS LIKE TO HEAR LIKE THE AREA CALL 956.

[LAUGHTER] BECAUSE THIS IS NOW-- I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S WHEN THEY SAY THAT THEY'RE COMING TO TAKE OUR JOBS, IF THIS IS WHAT THEY MEAN.

THAT THEY'RE BEING-- WE ARE BEING EDUCATED AND NOW WE ARE PUTTING OURSELVES IN POSITIONS THAT WE CAN MAKE DECISIONS THAT ARE BETTER FOR OUR FAMILIES AND NOT JUST TO SURVIVE, BUT TO YOU KNOW, TO COME INTO POWER.

IN SOME-- FOR OURSELVES, TO ELEVATE.

ANYTHING ELSE?

>> IN TWO OR THREE SENTENCES, CAN EACH ARTIST SHARE THE INSPIRATION AND MAIN MESSAGE OF THEIR WORKS?

>> TWO OR THREE SENTENCES.

I FEEL LIKE RESPECT WAS MY COMMUNITY AND MY FAMILY, BUT ALSO TRY TO BRING SOMETHING NEW AND FRESH TO THE ARTS AS WELL BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE NOW-- THIS IS CONTEMPORARY ART AND I FEEL LIKE PRINT MAKING COULD BE ONE OF THOSE, AT LEAST FOR ME AS AN ARTIST.

>> IF I WERE TO SAY ONE MORE THING ABOUT OUR DRAWINGS FOR THE PROPOSAL, JUST TO POINT OUT THE ABSURDITY OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S APPROACH TO THESE THINGS BEING SO REMOVE AND HOW ARTISTS CAN USE THEIR TOOLS HIGHLIGHT THAT.

>> FOR ME, I WOULD SAY THAT IT'S THIS-- IT'S THE PEOPLE AND LAREDO, WHICH I LOVE SO MUCH, BUT JUST THE COMPLEXITY OF EXISTING IN A PLACE LIKE THAT WHERE IT CAN BE LIKE VERY DANGEROUS ON ONE SIDE AND, YOU KNOW, THE BEST PLACE ON THE OTHER.

BUT I THINK WE ALL EXPERIENCE LIKE THESE DIFFERENT THRESHOLDS AND SO FOR ME, IT IS A LOT ABOUT HOW DO YOU TELL THAT STORY, YOU KNOW.

IT'S SO BEAUTIFUL BUT IT CAN BE SO PAINFUL AT THE SAME TIME.

AND THAT'S WHAT INSPIRES ME.

>> FOR ME, IT'S, OF COURSE TRYING TO CHANGE THE NARRATIVE BUT ALSO LIKE REALLY HIGHLIGHTING WHO WE ARE AS A PEOPLE AND IT'S NOT ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER.

WE ARE ALL TOGETHER IN THIS TOGETHER AND IN ORDER TO ADVANCE, WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT IT AND SO I WANT TO MAKE WORK THAT CREATES DISCUSSION ON TOPICS THAT MOST PEOPLE ARE JUST BEING BLINDED TO BY MEDIA AND POLITICS AND REALLY SEE THEM AS YOU AND ME.