My event presentation.

1. HUMA-1305
EVENT PRESENTATION
BY: SOFIA RAMIREZ

2. ABOUT:
• In this presentation I will be focusing
on a fiberglass sculpture called Border
Crossing by Mexican American, Luis
Jiminez.
• I captured this picture when I went to
The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston on
August 7th, 2023.

3. DESCRIPTION:
• What is the written description on the label or in the program about the
event?
In the label provided it informed us the Artist, Luis Jimenez, who was “a leading
artist of the Chicano Movement, responded to Pop Art and the political climate of
the 1960s and 1970s by using fiberglass.”
• What is the tittle and who is the artis?
The artist is Mexican American, Luis Jimenez and the piece of art’s name is Border
Crossing (Cruzando el Rio Bravo),1989.

4. • When and where was the work created?
This sculpture was made when Luis Jimenez was living in El Paso, TX in 1989.
• Describe the elements of the work?
- Color in art: What I noticed was there wasn’t bright colors, it was more of dark tones. It sets the
mood of the sculpture. The lady’s sweater is dark pink which is the most color I saw. Other than
that, it was neutral colors. It was shiny and glossy.
- Value in art: There is light and dark aspects of the art.
- Line in art: There is a lot of lines as it gives movement and depth to the sculpture. The lines make
it realistic.
- Shape in art: It’s mostly vertical as it’s a man carrying a women with kid. Looks like a straight
vertical line.
- Form in art: It’s 3D shape. Has the forms of what a human is.
- Texture in art: The texture is smooth, tough, and filled.
- Space in art: It’s filled with space. It doesn’t contain no empty space.

5. Describe the technical qualities of the work.
- It is considered a low-brow commercial medium.
- Materials used was fiberglass with urethane finish.
- The method used was crafting and sculpturing.
Describe the subject matter. What is it about?
Border Crossing art piece is a familiar image as we have a seen people crossing the
border from the medias. Border Crossing is a man carrying a women and kid on his
shoulders. Luis Jimenez did this to portray a struggle and real-life event of families or
individuals crossing the border from Mexico to The United States for better opportunity.
The man is protecting the wife and kid from getting wet.

6. ANALYSIS:
• How is the work constructed or planned?
Luis is an artist who gets inspired by real life challenges as a Mexican American. He
got inspired by the story of is grandfather when he crossed the border for better
opportunities. He wanted dark colors and tones to compliment the life challenges
going on. Crossing the border is not seen as happy but instead as challenging and
heartbreaking thinking of days walking away from their country to get a better life.
He created this sculpture with a realistic appearance like the story behind it.

7. Identify some of the similarities throughout the work.
If you focus in the sculpture, you notice a repetition of lines starting from ground to
head. The feet have vertical lines giving the motion of walking but also struggling as
it’s a man carrying the wife and kid. Theres is lines throughout their clothing making
it realistic as clothes do have wrinkles and assuming the man is wet. The lines in their
faces express the feeling.
Identify some of the points of emphasis in the work.
Like mentioned before, the movement speaks for itself. The sculpture is made as if it
were walking. Every detail counts. This figure represents immigrants struggling to get
a better life. As a Mexican American, I see such familiar pictures and scenes when it
comes to someone crossing the border.

8. • If the work has subjects or characters, what are the
relationships between or among them?
The work has three characters including a man, a
woman (wife), and a newborn (child), all three
Mexicans. They are a family crossing the border for a
better life in The United States.

9. INTERPRETATION:
• Describe the expressive qualities you find in the work. What
expressive language would you use to describe the qualities?
Border Crossing sculpture expresses struggle, sadness but it also gives emotion of
lucha which means fight for. The family is doing a sacrifice which makes them
strong and brave moving to a country they don’t know. You can sense that emotion
through the work. Many families want the best for their children. I find it
meaningful to me because my parents came here, leaving their family behind to be
able to create a better life for my siblings and I. It is something I look up to on my
parents. It expresses happiness also, because they created a life here and now, they
can enjoy that being because they became residents.

10. Does the work remind you of other things you have experienced?
I find it meaningful to me because my parents came here, leaving their family behind
to be able to create a better life for my siblings and me. It is something I look up to
on my parents. It expresses happiness also, because they created a life here and now,
they can enjoy that being because they became residents.
How does the work relate to other ideas or events in the world and/or
in your other studies?
I have learned some aspects of Mexican Americans fighting for their rights through
History 1 & II. In way it’s related to African Americans fighting for their rights. The
Chicano movement once joined Martin Luther King because they were all fighting for
voting rights etc.

12. EVALUATION:
• What qualities of the work make you feel it is a success or failure?
I believe Border Crossing by Luis Jimenez was a success. The art is piece is taller
than human size and show cased in the museum where everyone can see it. You
can tell the story and emotion behind it by just observing it. That sculpture is one
of his most successful ones.

13. • Compare it with similar works that you think are successful.
I took this picture of this art piece called, “Juanito va a la ciudad”
by Argentinean, Antonio Berni. In the description provided it
explains that Juanito is walking through piles of trash on his way
to the modern city. He wants to leave the environment he
currently lives at somewhat similar of “Border Crossing”.

14. • How original is the work? Why do you feel this work is original or
not original?
I think the work is original because I feel like I haven’t seen such art like the one
presented. I hadn’t seen a fiberglass sculpture like Border Crossing. It’s huge so it
would be something hard to miss. I think the story can be similar to other artist’s
work, as it is a life struggle that has been happening for decades. So, I don’t doubt
the border crossing topic hasn’t inspired others.