On Nov. 22, New Mexico State University alum and local artist Citlali Delgado presented her latest piece yet, “Unexpected Pedestrians,” at the Mexican American Cultural Center (MACC) in El Paso, Texas. The artist’s work brings together cultural elements of the region she calls home.
The building hosting Delgado’s exhibit only opened its doors months beforehand on March 22. However, the MACC has its origins in the Quality of Life bond that El Paso voters approved in 2012. Located at 201 E Franklin Ave., the program’s mission is to celebrate the dynamic traditions and resiliency of the region’s culture through art and other creative means. Alongside the exhibit’s highlighted artwork, some of Delgado’s other pieces were displayed; showing the progress she has made in her artistic career ever since she began college at NMSU.
Delgado explained that her inspiration for the central piece comes from an electronic billboard on El Paso’s TX-375 Loop, near the U.S.-Mexico border, advising drivers to be cautious of migrants crossing into the highway from Mexico.
“I grew up with an artist father who always used the silhouetted image of the family running, which is the migrants crossing sign from California, which [he] used in his work,” Delgado said. “Now I feel like El Paso has its own version, with this billboard on the border freeway reading “watch out for unexpected pedestrians.” And I thought how interesting it is to word it that way, like you’re not supposed to have a bias when you’re writing those things, right? So, I wanted to do what is unexpected for me, because there are a lot of speculations and assumptions through the media of what the Borderlands are like, especially in this political climate. I wanted to do a flip on those perceptions and show like characters that I’ve grown up with in my life here.”…