“Whysidro” to be unveiled this coming Thursday at The Front
By Leticia Gomez Franco
The Front, a 1600 square foot art space located a mile north of the U.S./Mexico border crossing in San Diego, will be converted this week into a holographic dreamland. The gallery will be home to Whysidro, a solo exhibition of new lenticular works by internationally renowned artists, Jamex & Einar De la Torre.
The exhibition celebrates the culmination of the De la Torre brothers’ one year residency at Casa Familiar’s The Front as part of the San Diego Foundations Creative Catalyst Program. During their year in San Ysidro, the brothers set out to create an entire new body of work inspired by their connection with the U.S./Mexico border.
As binational artists who are constantly moving between the periphery and the heart of the San Diego/Tijuana region, with studios in both Ensenada and San Diego, their new work is an amalgamation of this experiential creative living. Incorporating the traditional glass work they have become famous for into the new lenticular technology as seen in their recent elevator commission at the new San Diego Public Library, continues to take their work into a playfully chaotic realm, filled with depth and layers upon layers of creative juxtaposition.
When asked why “Whysidro”? the brothers responded that “San Ysidro is a small farming town in the middle of the vast megapolis that is the whole urbanized San Diego/Tijuana complex, it is tiny and unassuming, yet it is part of the most traversed port in the world, so why does San Ysidro even exist? To us, San Ysidro is a quirky element in the surreal spectacle that is our border region. That border, with all its bittersweet facets, has always been an inspiration for us as artists. In our new set of lenticular panels we seek to illuminate “La Borda” with manipulated images taken directly at the border fence. We also have works that reference the border region indirectly by addressing the multi-layered reality that is lived here.”
Throughout the week and up until the opening, Jamex & Einar De la Torre will be installing their large scale lenticular works in the gallery in preparation for what will surely be one of the most visually enthralling exhibitions of the year. Whysidro, opens to the public on Thursday June 12th 2014, with an artist reception from 5pm – 9pm at The Front, located at 147 W. San Ysidro Blvd. San Diego, CA 92173. There is no admission fee.