TIJUANA, Mexico — The saying “Poor Mexico, so far from God, so close to the United States” resonates deeply in Tijuana, a bustling border city where English mingles with Spanish, and shops offer ponchos emblazoned with US sports logos. Often dismissed as neither fully Mexican nor American, Ingrid Hernández challenges these perceptions by portraying Tijuana authentically. Her work is featured in the exhibition Ingrid Hernández: 20 años de arte _Under Construction_ at the Centro Cultural Tijuana (CECUT), curated by Daniela Lieja Quintanar and Rosela del Bosque.
This comprehensive exhibition showcases 13 photographic series, including Hernández’s earliest work, Outdoor (2003–4), and projects set in the US and Colombia. For over twenty years, Hernández has documented Tijuana’s asentamientos, highlighting the city’s stark contrasts between wealth and poverty. Her images, devoid of people, nevertheless reflect the human experience, such as a self-built home made from recycled US garage doors, illustrating the cross-border exchange of materials.
Hernández, a Tijuana native and third-generation resident, draws inspiration from her upbringing in a city often seen as a mere transit point to the US. Her home, built by her mother, is a typical example of Tijuana’s autoconstrucciones, structures gradually assembled from available resources. Her series Outdoor explores this theme, showcasing homes constructed from improvised materials like wooden signage and box spring wire frameworks.
Displayed prominently, a photo of stairs made from old tires ascending a dusty hill, labeled “Propiedad Privada,” encapsulates human ingenuity born from necessity. Her subsequent series, such as Tijuana Compressed (2004–5), delve deeper, depicting inventive uses of materials in neighborhoods like Nueva Esperanza, reflecting Tijuana’s industrial role. Another series, Irregular, exposes the interiors of these homes, presenting candid views of their challenging conditions but with dignity and color.
Hernández extends this empathetic approach in projects like Inside (2011), documenting Mexican immigrants’ homes in New York, capturing elements that bring comfort in a foreign land. Her photographs, enhanced by Adalberto Charvel’s innovative exhibition design, transform CECUT into a space that feels perpetually under construction, resonating with the themes of her work. This exhibition avoids clichés of Tijuana, offering a poignant portrayal of the city’s everyday life and its resilient inhabitants. Ingrid Hernández: 20 años de arte _Under Construction_ is open at CECUT (Paseo de los Heroes 9350, Zona Urbana Río, Tijuana, Mexico) until March 8.
