This article was originally published on Thursday, March 24, 2016 and is only presented for historical purposes. The information below may no longer be relevant or accurate.
In artist Beatriz Cortez's installations, cracks and crevices are a consistent clue to the fractured existence she has experienced in her life. As an immigrant artist, Cortez says that living in Arizona taught her about how difficult it is for immigrants to negotiate daily life in an environment often hostile to outsiders. “The community of students [at Mesa Community College in Arizona] really helped me survive the shock of immigration in a most creative environment,” Cortez said.