1,954 Miles

Febraury 24 - March 24, 2018

Wave Pool was proud to present, 1,954 Miles, a group show curated by our third and final Curatorial Resident, Harry Sanchez Jr.

With his exhibition, Harry Sanchez Jr. aimed to give a voice to a few artists from La Frontera, to use the space as a megaphone to represent the complex thoughts and feelings that come from people living in the contested border between Mexico and the United States. 

La Frontera as it known in Spanish, or The Border as it is known in English, is a transitional place with a rich history of movement where two cultures constantly clash and bond at the same time—a space that epitomizes the dichotomies of fear and hope, unity and disunity. 

The border itself is a wavering line that stretches 1,954 miles over deserts and rivers, and is home to almost 12 million people—many of whom are of Mexican descent.

Yet in many cases, the public debates featured in news programs, by governmental authorities, online pundits or even in art galleries do not incorporate the voices of those who are the most affected: people living on the border themselves. 

These artists use their voice in ways that conflate historical references with contemporary methods and concepts. Through drawing, painting, sculpture and video, they confront stereotypes and subvert common expectations about what “Chicano/a” art can look like and are about. 

Contributing artists for 1,954 Miles include:

Cande Aguilar (Brownsville, Texas); Haydee Alonso (Ciudad Juarez, Mexico); Blastr (El Paso, Texas);

Angel Cabrales (El Paso, Texas); Francisco Delgado (El Paso, Texas); Adrian Esparza (El Paso, Texas); Manuel Guerra (El Paso, Texas); Alex Macias (Brownsville, Texas); Mauricio Sáenz (Brownsville, Texas); and Marco Sanchez (El Paso, Texas)

Being from a border city Harry Sanchez Jr. is keenly aware of boundaries everywhere. In response, he has developed a practice of reacting against rules and limits. A recent graduate of the University of Cincinnati’s School of Art MFA program at DAAP, Sanchez strives to be a counter-balance in a world of conformity.

The Curatorial Residency Program is supported by the generosity of community contributions to the ArtsWave Campaign as well as through an ArtSTART award from the Ohio Arts Council, which receives support from the State of Ohio and the National Endowment for the Arts.