Pima Community College Demonstrates That Art Transcends Borders
By Justin Kree, Marketing, Communications and Strategic Outreach
Once the ribbon was cut, the exhibit hall filled with applause and congratulatory remarks. Pima Community College officials traveled more than 1,300 miles from Tucson, Arizona to Mexico City, Mexico to showcase the work of local artist, the late Louis Carlos Bernal, to a full audience.
The Images and Conversation gallery highlights Bernal’s photographic work, documenting the struggles of Mexican Americans in the early 1980s. Dana Roes, Dean of Arts at PCC; David Andres, Director of the Louis Carlos Bernal Gallery; along with other Tucson and Mexican officials, were thrilled to share this international moment of art and storytelling—one that connects the United States and Mexico.
“Knowing ourselves is a process in which Mexicans in Mexico have not always understood the struggles of Mexican Americans, and how their identities naturally diverge from ours,” said Mexican Consul Rafael Barcelo Durazo. “I hope this exhibition, and the amazing texts that complement the pictures, will contribute to this needed understanding. Your presence here in Mexico City speaks volumes and shines a light on better times ahead, recognizing the many lasting contributions of people of Mexican origin in the United States.”
Louis Carlos Bernal was born in Douglas, Arizona, and his family later moved to Phoenix in search of a better life. Bernal graduated from high school and went on to earn a Master of Fine Arts degree from Arizona State University. He quickly made a name for himself in the photography world, even breaking barriers along the way.
“Bernal was interested in photography from an early age, taking his first classes at Tempe High School,” said David Andres. “Lou is considered the father of Chicano/Latinx photography. He was the first Hispanic photographer given the opportunity to document the L.A. Olympic Games in 1984. Lou chose to photograph the vendors rather than the athletes.”
In 1972, Bernal moved to Tucson after receiving his first professorship in photography at Pima Community College.
He focused his lens on the “common man” and the struggles that Mexican Americans face daily. Today, the Images and Conversation exhibit invites visitors to see through Bernal’s eyes and reflect on those hardships and experiences portrayed in the faces of his subjects.
“This powerful exhibition was first shown at Pima and was then invited to the Mexican Consulate in Tucson. The exhibit resonated deeply, highlighting the cultural and emotional commonalities shared by our border communities,” said Dana Roes.
Tragically, Bernal was riding his bike to work near Pima Community College’s West Campus when he was struck by a car. He was rushed to the hospital and remained in a coma for four years before passing away on his 52nd birthday in 1993.
The Images and Conversation exhibit in Mexico City allows audiences outside of southern Arizona to experience the work of an artist whose vision transcends borders and generations.