Life Along The Border

Description

My views on illegal immigration are mixed and personal: I must remain neutral as a journalist and my photographs are a document of life along the border, as I saw it over decades of living there.

Jimmy Dorantes, Photographer

Life Along The Border, an apolitical and bilingual (English/Spanish) traveling exhibition, documents the U.S.-Mexico border region in a time of major political conflict. Combining photography with artifacts from life along the border, as well as hard facts and statistics from local border agencies, this exhibit brings the reality of the border issue to your institution. Visitors will be challenged to explore and discuss the nuances of this ongoing debate through the photographed human narrative of those living it. An apolitical exhibit, Life Along The Border does not assume a position, but instead provides visitors with the tools necessary to invite deep conversation, engagement, and self-reflection. The exhibit is presented in partnership with the Imperial Valley Desert Museum, located just 10 miles from the U.S.-Mexico border in Ocotillo, CA.

Life Along The Border is a culmination of the lifelong work of photojournalist Jimmy Dorantes, who has documented the U.S.-Mexico border for over five decades. Receiving his first job in photojournalism at the Calexico Chronicle at the age of 12, the photos, films, and documentaries of Dorantes have been featured across national outlets such as the Associated Press and Time magazine, and in partnership with major institutions such as the Smithsonian Institute.

Life Along The Border features the works of Jimmy Dorantes, originated at the Imperial Valley Desert Museum, and travels in partnership with Exhibit Envoy.

This exhibit is also available as an online exhibit! Book the online exhibit as a stand-alone experience, or pair it with the physical exhibit when you host. Visit our online exhibits page to learn more.