UA News

The rich, cultural history of the Arizona/Sonoran borderland region is celebrated in the UA Museum of Art's Border Project exhibit honoring Arizona's Centennial Celebration through March 11.

In honor of the Centennial Celebration (1912-2012) of Arizona's statehood, the University of Arizona Museum of Art presents "The Border Project."

"The Border Project" exhibit blends art, music, performance, painting, sculpture, installation, video, film and photography to examine the historical and contemporary life in the U.S./Mexico borderlands region.  

Unique in its range of focus, the exhibition, which runs Nov. 17 through March 11, treats Arizona and Sonora, Mexico as partners with shared histories, dreams and political realities.

The exhibition includes historical objects from the Arizona State Museum and the Arizona Historical Society; rare photographs from the UA's Center for Creative Photography; a compilation of film clips about the region dating back to 1929; and sound art, visual art and installations created just for the exhibition.

In addition to the exhibit, a full schedule of events including artists' panel discussions, storytelling events, live music performances, film presentations and an international symposium will be held beginning Dec. 1, 2 and 3. 

All events are open to the general public. Adult admission is $5 with free admission for UA Museum of Art members, students with ID, children and UA faculty and staff members.

Thirty artists are contributing work to the exhibition reflecting the expertise of scholars from a broad range of humanities disciplines.

It is co-curated by Lauren Rabb, curator of the UA Museum of Art; John-Michael Warner, doctoral student in art history at the UA School of Art; Janet Sturman, professor of ethnomusicology at the UA School of Music; and Jennifer Jenkins, film scholar and professor of English at the UA. 

The exhibit celebrates the rich cultural heritage of this region from Spanish colonization, to Mexican independence, to the Gadsden Purchase, through today. Building on these legacies, "The Border Project" acknowledges the complexities of border communities that encompass narratives of Mexicans, Mexican-Americans, Asian Americans, American Indians and Europeans.

The exhibition and programming are supported by underwriting from the Arizona State Credit Union and the Consulate of Mexico in Tucson.