Julio César Morales, a San Francisco-based artist, has always been fascinated by the borderlands of the US and Mexico. Born in Tijuana, Mexico, on the US/Mexico border, Morales moved to San Ysidro, near San Diego, at a young age. This border region has been a central theme in Morales’s work for over 30 years, exploring the complexities and violence of the border through various artistic mediums.
The exhibition “OJO” Julio César Morales showcases more than 50 works by the artist, including 10 pieces created specifically for the show. Morales’s multidisciplinary practice includes music, performance, video, drawing, photography, and film. The exhibition is accompanied by a curated playlist that adds an extra layer of emotion and thematic depth to the show.
The title of the exhibition, “OJO,” is taken from a detail in a Dorothea Lange photograph from 1938. The sign, which reads “OJO Los Extranjeros,” serves as a warning to strangers. This series delves into the paradox of the immigrant experience, questioning who the warning is meant for – those arriving or those already there.
The highlight of the exhibition is a series of works inspired by the 1982 film “The Border,” which portrays the US-Mexico border. Morales reimagines the film from the perspective of immigrants and Border Patrol agents, shedding light on the complexities and conflicts of the border experience.
Two neon works steal the show, with one piece symbolizing different periods of Mexico’s border history. Another public commission outside the museum features a thought-provoking message about the future and privilege. These pieces challenge viewers to consider who has the luxury of a future and who does not in today’s society.
“OJO” Julio César Morales is a powerful exploration of the US/Mexico border through the lens of art. The exhibition, curated by Rachel Teagle, is on display at the Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem Museum of Art at the University of California, Davis, until November 29. Visit the museum to experience Morales’s thought-provoking and visually stunning work firsthand.
