RAIZzine

"RAIX" is a new artivism (art+activism) project to challenge narratives about reproductive justice, gender and queer identities and border communities.

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Selena party pt. 2. Don’t miss it! ‪#‎RGV‬

This year we are hosting events in McAllen & Brownsville, featuring door prizes, a Selena look alike contest, and your favorite Selena hits.

RSVP: Selena Dance Party https://www.facebook.com/events/894813927282141/

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We are featuring Brownsville area artist, Josué Ramirez (Rawmirez). Here are two of his works, "Even the Sun Sets in Paradise" and "Minnie la Guadalupana," and a short bio on Josué. Stay tuned for more:

Josué Ramírez (or Rawmirez) is a border artist living, practicing and working in the Rio Grande Valley. Originally from Ciudad Mante Tamaulipas, Mexico, Josué migrated to the US alongside his family as a young child. He grew up in a colonia in the outskirts of Bayview, where he ran barefoot with his brothers between the resacas and sugarcane fields. Josué attended Los Fresnos High School, where one day he noticed his friend cutting out paper with a scalpel; that day Josué was introduced to stencils. Since then he has pursued stenciling as his main artistic method, learning and developing his skills while attending the University of Texas. While the stenciling style has been his preferred technique both on canvas as well as in his street art, Rawmirez’s creations are uninhibited to two dimensions. He has produced sculptures and mixed media pieces that transfer his style of painting to three-dimensional objects. While the medium Rawmirez chooses to explore themes such as sexuality and identity vary, there are consistent references in his work to popular culture, flora, traditional Mexican imagery, bilingualism, graffiti culture and patterns. By mixing and intersecting the meanings and definitions of these references through various channels Rawmirez reimagines and reinterprets his space and self in la frontera.

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Here's a preview of our next issue dedicated to exploring reproductive justice issues in the RGV. This image, titled "Lucha," was painted by Brownsville artist, Josué Ramirez.

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The title of this work is called “Breach Baby.” It shows a baby in what is known as the “breech” position, a presentation that makes birth a potentially dangerous situation. The proper birth presentation should have a baby’s head facing down. Behind the child is an anchor, which tells us this child in limbo is also an “anchor baby.” An anchor baby is a derogatory term used to describe a child born to undocumented immigrants. The birth of an “anchor baby” anchors the child and their family to the United Stated. This slur was often used right after 911 by right wing broadcasters such as Lou Dobbs who were stoking fear in America about foreigners, immigrants, and particularly Mexican immigrants. The work also shows a scroll and abstract views of land, which symbolize the U.S. and Mexico. A woman’s body as a vessel and political battleground is the context for this birth. It matters which side of the river she will give birth to her baby, a grave matter. Celeste De Luna is a painter/printmaker from Harlingen, Texas. She has exhibited her work in various cities in the Rio Grande Valley, San Antonio, San Diego, and Chicago. You can reach her at delunaceleste [at] gmail.com and see more of her work at www.celestedeluna.com  

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Here's a preview of the cover for the upcoming issue of RAIX. We're extending the submission deadline through this weekend, so you have until Monday, September 6th to send your work to [email protected]

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