Arizona Between Nosotros: Artists from Mexico Respond in Performance and Video at ALAC

Logan Phillips grew up 14 miles from the US-Mexico border. Today, the 28-year-old bilingual poet and performance artist spends equal time in both countries, performing solo and with a group called Verbobala. He says his work is inherently political; he watched the reaction to, and effects of SB1070 from both sides...

By Claire Lawton

June 15, 2011

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Logan Phillips grew up 14 miles from the US-Mexico border.

Today, the 28-year-old bilingual poet and performance artist spends equal time in both countries, performing solo and with a group called Verbobala.

He says his work is inherently political; he watched the reaction to, and effects of SB1070 from both sides of the border (read more about his work and other creative responses to the legislation in New Times' Borderline Expression).

And now, Phillips is looking to pass the microphone.

He and six other Arizona-based artists created Arizona Between Nosotros and put the call out to Mexican artists for work relating to Arizona. The result: a curated festival of performing arts and video presented by Mexican artists at Arizona Latino Arts and Cultural Center in July.

Arizona Between Nosotros (or "Arizona Between Us") is a name Phillips says comes from the bad reputation and connotation Arizona and its residents now carry as a result of the debate around illegal immigration and SB1070.

What Arizona (and many U.S.) residents don't see, write ABN members, is the perspective of those currently living in Mexico. So their goal is to bring contemporary Mexican art to an Arizona audience and to create a positive dialogue around an often-heated topic.

The festival will showcase new work by 12 emerging Mexican artists in live performances and short video works pertaining to current events in Arizona, and will open at 7 p.m. on July 8 at ALAC, 147 East Adams St. in Phoenix.

Arizona Between Nosotros will also host a roundtable discussion with the artists about their work, identity politics, and Arizona/Mexico relations on July 9 at 11 a.m. at ALAC.

Tickets (available online) to the art exhibition are $10, $8 members/students and admission to the discussion is free.

The ABN festival will also be presented in Nogales, Sonora on June 30 at La Casa de la Cultura, and in Tucson on July 1 at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA).

All festival events are open to the public.

For more information, check out the ABN website and event info on Facebook.

Note: This article has been updated with correct event information.

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