I just wanted to update the blog since it's been dead for a while.
One of my favorite contemporary art blogs (We Make Money Not Art,) is doing a 10 part spot light feature on Latin American artists.
In addition to this they covered two great pieces of interests deeply rooted in much more modern Mexican culture.
The first being Enrique Metinides' work (example to the Right) of photography, it was all work originally shot for the Mexican Newspaper's which are famously a lot more gruesome. I feel this body of work does not really provide a different view of the image's purposes aside from being for shock value. However this could be taken as a way of addressing Mexican disaster media, and it's similarities to the art world.
Although I feel the next work is not as visually stimulating, it has a great cultural connection. The piece Casa Segura by Robert Ransick is a shack placed within Arizona set up with food, water, and other basic supplies however within it there is also a touch screen, allowing the illegal immigrants who frequent the desert to leave a digital note behind, but it also acts as an oasis with the supplies. The artist hopes that with the immigrants ability to leave notes behind (which can be accessed and read from this link) would give them a voice that is not heard in the media surrounding border control issues. I feel that this is a strong piece of art, however it will not get adequate exposure and void the artist's purpose of giving these immigrants a new forum.
