We all have a story to tell, rich in memories, life lessons, experiences from the mundane to the powerful. This body of work depicts part of my story. A series of work in progress entitled "El Paso : The Pass." What is on display is about a quarter of the entire project. Autobiographical, regionalism, stereotype...all the stuff i have tried to side step in my work up until this point, is all right here, hanging on the wall. I decided to go forward with this project because I feel it is relevant, possibly interesting, and basically time to exorcise these images and concepts.

I was born and raised on the border town of El Paso, Texas and left when I was seventeen. It has been twenty years since I have visited El Paso -- with the exception of a short visit a few years ago to bury my father. Throughout the years past, I have come to acknowledge the complexities and uniqueness of that border town. It is a portal of sorts...of cultural transference from one geopolitical region to another. The energy and friction created in such a passage -- bottleneck -- is extremely dynamic. (a beneficial yet challenging characteristic of that is part of our country.)

So, I reflect on the region.

The reflection has developed an ethereal focus which has moved me to produce this work. A work where my material for this expression is gathered from my subconscious, recollection, intuition and concrete experience. It has taken roughly twenty years to set in. (I could hardly be further away in many ways...! Yet it is still also familiar) Within those years, I've visited and lived in many unique and special places. Every place has its flavor -- from inane to incredible -- but one is sure to find character somewhere in that gamut. And that character that somehow seems unique to "place"...is also the common thread that allows us to relate to each other as people. Irrespective of what geographic location we come from.

Places, borders, passage, mobility, these are all realities. Is the concept, or institution of a "border" necessary - perhaps. Borders and boundaries give definition, they assure a sense of place, here and there, us and them. It is truly a matter of perspective. So here is one example, simplistic as it may be: The further away from Earth our fragmented planet is viewed, the more pronounced its single shade becomes.

Thanks for your interest.

Gil Corral, October 2007

I also felt compelled to start this show, "El Paso" after being emotionally moved by my observations of the effects that the Katrina catastrophe had when it hit New Orleans. I was not only taken back by the terrible devastation, but how parts of my country (and parts of humanity) reacted to this event. This gave me great pause. Such events do bring out "unity" in people and can catalyze a sense of solidarity that is so elusive in our current American society.

The flip side of this response is what disturbed me. This event exposed a segment of OUR country that some seemed surprised by its existence. This was greatly symbolic. It speaks to the denial and turning a blind eye to the "inconveniences" of our society, to the segments of society that lives in the shadows of the glimmering city on the hill.

I am speaking of the response that many had to the families of the ninth ward. Outside of the unfathomable disgusting response our government had to this event, I couldn't believe some of the things I was hearing on the news and in person when interacting with local citizens and peers. Yes, there are many who's responses were compassionate, and noble in answering the call when our brothers and sister needed help...I am pleased to acknowledge this goodness , and am thankful and proud to live in a nation with such citizens.

Once again, it is the flip side that sends me reeling. I heard words like "refugees", or "they", or "fault", or "that's our country?", or "third world country". Words like "savage" and "gangsters" started surfacing...all so surreal to some of us sitting in such proximity (same country-essentially connected by highways) literally up the street, feeling completely incubated from this reality. Neighboring cities shutting down, claiming they don't have the space for these people, some turning their backs-"don't come here". People outside Katrina, living in this comfortable bubble, just wanted things to move along, let's get back to normal, let's go shopping...oh these damn inconveniences! I hope that next hurricane doesn't hit Cancun; I'm going on vacation next week...hopefully it will switch directions and hit Houston, as long as it doesn't cause airline delays.

We can certainly loose sight of what really makes this country great, we can crucify that which is genuine and true, and that which is precious to our collective greatness. I don't understand it. What I do understand, is that communities like those of the ninth ward exist in so many places all across this country. Sometimes neglected, left behind..or just avoided. These communities are special places in our country, places of dreams, hope and yes despair. But in it all you can see it's beauty, you can feel its spirit, and more importantly, gain inspiration through its dignity.

These communities are here and should be brought to light, my hope is that it will not take a catastrophe to bring awareness to certain parts of our society. We can only lead to an understanding of our differences through awareness of each other.

So this is my tiny attempt to shed some light on a little piece of the world that I think is beautiful, beneficial, and extremely important to our country.

Gil Corral, May 2008