Tanya Aguiñiga’s childhood was marked by daily border crossings between San Diego and Tijuana. The artist, now a resident of Los Angeles, reflects on the fear, anxiety, and worry that accompanied her transnational upbringing.
As she recounts her experiences, Aguiñiga highlights the complexities of living in a binational community. Her family’s involvement in helping migrants added to the sense of urgency and vulnerability she felt. The artist recalls witnessing the struggles of others as they attempted to cross the border, often with dire consequences.
Aguiñiga’s work addresses issues of immigration and identity through craft-based installations, sculptures, and community projects. Her ongoing series, AMBOS (Art Made Between Opposite Sides), provides a platform for binational artists responding to anti-immigrant rhetoric at the U.S.-Mexico border.
The artist currently resides in Los Angeles but has a strong connection to San Diego, where she is completing her residency as the Longenecker-Roth artist in residence at UC San Diego. Her work aims to connect diverse people, traditions, and cultures, reflecting her commitment to addressing issues of immigration and identity.
Aguiñiga’s experiences growing up on the border have shaped her artistic practice and community organizing. She emphasizes the need for empathy and understanding in navigating divided identities. The artist’s story serves as a powerful reminder of the human impact of migration policies and the importance of crafting inclusive narratives that celebrate diversity.
As an artist and activist working on the US-Mexico border, Leticia Huerta’s work is driven by her own experience of navigating two worlds. Born to Mexican parents, Huerta grew up moving between Mexico and the United States, ultimately becoming a U.S. citizen. Her experiences informed her desire to create art that speaks to the complexities of identity, community, and migration.
Huerta’s work explores the tension between two cultures, seeking to bridge the divide while acknowledging the differences. “It’s about finding ways to make opportunities for folks who are navigating those two sides all the time,” she says. Her own experience as a U.S. citizen with the privilege to cross the border safely has given her a unique perspective on the complexities of migration.
Huerta draws inspiration from the Border Art Workshop/Tallér de Arte Fronterízo, a historic arts collaborative that aimed to address border issues through art and community organizing. She worked with the group from 1997 to 2003 and is now working with their archives at UCSD.
“I wanted to come back and work with this legacy, but also expand and make something like a family tree of everyone who was involved,” she explains. “How did their work as part of the Border Art Workshop, their time in the borderlands, affect the way that they navigate the world now? What were the lessons that they took from this?”
Huerta’s latest project, AMBOS (Spanish for “both”), is a ceramics program at three LGBTQ asylum shelters in Tijuana. The trauma-informed program uses art as a tool for healing and empowerment.
“We’re sharing responsibility with our communities to think about ways of becoming involved in mutual aid,” she says. “We’re asking them to think about migrant rights when they may not be somebody who thinks about that.”
Huerta will host an open studio session at her workspace, where attendees can explore resources on border issues, identity, and social praxis.
“It’s like a shared resource space,” she explains. “There are books, zines, children’s books, all sorts of materials to help people learn about these issues.”
The session is part of Huerta’s ongoing efforts to create spaces for community engagement and education around the complexities of migration and identity.
As an artist and activist, Huerta sees her work as a way to share responsibility and encourage others to take action. “We’re all complicit in these different systems,” she says. “How can we make opportunities for accountability?”
Her open studio session is an invitation to join the conversation, explore resources, and become involved in creating positive change on the US-Mexico border.
Source: San Diego Union Tribune
