Migrant art breaks down border barriers

In the vicinity of the “BiblioAvión” in Ciudad Juárez, just a few steps away from the border line that divides this city from El Paso, a group of young artists placed “bewitching” soccer goals that stood in the middle of an environment marked by barriers and obstacles.

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The one who brought this touch of creativity to the border is José Flores, a visual artist of Colombian- Venezuelan who considers himself migrant.

In that place, last Wednesday afternoon, between the reality of migration and artistic expression, José shared his inspiration and vision of this peculiar initiative.

“As a Colombian-Venezuelan and migrant, I take advantage of my experience to create art. In this opportunity, I turned my gaze towards Ciudad Juarez, due to the events related to migration and how the processes have been diverted to the north”, he said.

The goals were placed in the temporary camp for migrants, installed just a few weeks ago by the Juarez City Hall.

He said in Ciudad Juarez he encountered a tangible border, however, migrants will always find ways to “circumvent” these barriers, visible or invisible, to the United States.

“In a certain sense, being here and encountering a tangible border made me realize that, despite all the barriers they can impose on us, we migrants are capable of overcoming any obstacle. They can put up a wall of any height, electrified barbed wire, but migrants will always find a way to overcome them”, he explained.

The artist indicated that the message of this initiative is one of resistance, but it also has a focus on providing recreation and leisure time for migrants, because on their way to reach the “land of the dollar”, they rarely find time to have fun.

The goals not only symbolize the barriers at the border, but also give migrants, including children, men and women, the opportunity to enjoy a moment of recreation in the midst of the hardships they face.

He explained that the “Azul Arena” collective is committed to promoting art and social awareness, using this creative expression to address relevant issues and create a space for reflection, so this type of initiative demonstrates how art can be a powerful tool to unite the community and highlight important issues.

José Flores said that although barriers can be a challenge, migrants move forward with determination and resilience, overcoming any obstacle in their quest for a better life.