This rich collection of engravings presents a message of human solidarity towards those individuals who have traveled risky routes on their way to the American union. The artists who agreed to participate and create a work come mostly from the Chicago area and the following cities: Los Angeles, CA; Oak Park, IL; New York, NY; El Paso, Texas; and Mexico City.
About this project, Francisco Piña refers the following:
When viewing the work as a whole, it is inevitable not to reflect on the adversities that surround the condition of the undocumented immigrant inside the United States, where in some of the states the siege of the illegal foreigner dominates with greater rigor. In the same way, one lives racist positions legitimized by intransigent laws, however, the fact of being here, is a respite … Of course, this omitting the discriminatory derisions, the lack of social rights and the carelessness of the government in turn that tries to underestimate a multifactorial reality despite the benefits generated by the immigrant condition (…)
There are many reasons to migrate from the country of origin, most of them do so due to economic deficiencies, others to perfect the foreign language, likewise, for job growth opportunities, or even, for the spirit of adventure that involves knowing a different culture. However, it is paradoxical that the countries of origin themselves contribute to invigorate the phenomenon of immigration, given their alarming social inequality, excessive violence and the lack of opportunity for fairly paid employment.
There are several ways to be an immigrant, the unfortunate thing is those who perish on the way, the most fortunate enter with a tourist passport and simply don’t return violating the terms of their official visa, even so, most arrive “in good faith”: defrauded by “coyotes,” walking on the desert, hiding in trunks or cargo trucks; I wonder: How bad the “screwed” conditions be there, so that people risk crossing the border again and again, with all the dangers and humiliations that each attempt represents?
