Sunday, March 5th, 2023
Throughout day one, we really enjoyed our exploration of the connection between the
history and art of the area. We started the day with orientation, had lunch as a group, and then
went to the Tucson Art Museum. There was an artisan market outside with lots of vendors that
showcased different types of art in Arizona. Along with the variety of cultures that surround the
area and art from those cultures, something that stood out to us was that everything was written
in both English and Spanish, whether that be informational descriptions of the art or signs
around the city as well. It was really nice to see that inclusiveness in language to accommodate
everyone since they are both prominent languages in Tucson.
Inside the museum there was an exhibition of ancient Latin American art next to an
exhibition of colonial art. It was interesting to see how the art highlighted different aspects of
early Latin American culture, and how colonialism made an impact on them. This serves as a
reminder that art has always served as a form of expression which in hindsight can show us the
values of a culture or group during a specific time. Even though the post-colonial art was
reflective of European styles, it also maintained certain aspects of early Latin American culture.
The artists made their own art, and this reminded us of how different cultures can influence each
other to create something new that celebrates both.
My favorite piece of art at the Tucson Art Museum was in their permanent indigenous art
exhibition. A mixed media lithograph titled “Coyote Koshares (four figures with watermelon)” by
Harry Fonseca, a Hawaiian, Portuguese, and Nisenan artist stood out to me. This particular
piece is a serigraph layered with glitter and bursting with bright, joyous colors. The work utilized
vibrant colors and featured four cartoonish, whimsical coyotes in jeans and high top sneakers
each eating their own rind of watermelon. Their backdrop was equally as beautiful, featuring
flowers and a pastel rainbow. Apart from its visual appeal, the piece is a representation of
indigenous storytelling through the eyes of the artist. The coyote was featured, as is in many of
his works, as a homage to this animal which has a tremendous cultural significance within the
Nisenan tribe. They most often portray trickery and have a great importance in the culture,
particularly throughout traditions and stories. To portray them in this playful manner was
Fonseca’s way of highlighting the magic, drama, and beauty of Nisenan story telling.
Another interpretation of the image came by making a connection between the coyotes
in the painting and the traffickers that bring immigrants illegally into the United States. People
also refer to them as coyotes since these animals operate in groups, using the cover of the
night. An immigrant may trust a coyote for help in navigating the desert, but there is a risk. Many
immigrants have been abandoned in the desert by their coyotes, or fallen victim to human
trafficking or different types of abuse from them. Coyotes have been known to charge
immigrants high tariffs from $4,500 – $10,000 dollars, which many migrants pay in the hopes of
a new life. The painting shows these coyotes enjoying a slice of watermelon within a jovial
background, but they are still coyotes and their expressions may or may not come across as
devious.
Afterwards, we came back to Borderlinks to do a history activity on immigration and the
conversation that followed was really nice, as our group has people full of different backgrounds
related to the subject. We are really excited for the coming days and the value in experiences
that this immersion has to offer!
-Kylie Riggles, Andrés Dankel, Yeidi M. Ramos