Laura De Valencia, “Haute”, Elevate pattern printed on PVC
Information on artist Laura De Valencia from the Morean Arts Center-
Laura De Valencia was born and raised in Barranquilla, Colombia, and initially pursued a degree in law. In 2007, she emigrated to the US, earning a BFA from the Savannah College of Art and Design. After four years working as an art director in New York City, Laura returned to Florida to start a family and pursue an MFA at Florida State University. She graduated in 2021 and has since exhibited her work in both national and international contemporary art spaces.
De Valencia’s work explores the ongoing experience of crossing borders that immigrants face in their daily lives in the
US. The artist recognizes that the journey of an immigrant does not end once they cross the physical border into the country, as they continue to encounter a series of invisible yet significant borders such as language, legal, and social barriers.
Through her artistic exploration, De Valencia studies how clothing serves as a vital form of survival for immigrants that goes beyond mere displays of wealth, class, or taste. “Fashion” for the immigrant is a borderless space that offers a means
to both reveal and conceal aspects of a fragmented identity; a tool for asserting humanity or hiding vulnerabilities that threaten their physical permanence in the country. By enabling immigrants to maneuver through spaces that may be off-limits and subvert both visible and invisible thresholds, the artist reveals how a borderless system such as fashion challenges established notions of nationality and geographical borders.
By highlighting the challenges and complexities of navigating multiple borders, De Valencia aims to bring attention to the immigrant’s lived experiences in a way that is both meaningful and compassionate. Her ultimate objective is to heighten awareness of the social and political circumstances that define our time and foster a space for deeper conversation and understanding.
Laura De Valencia, “Margin of Error” Screen print on paper
Information about Margin of Error, seen above-
The artist created multiple screen prints of the US-Mexico border line, with a red dot representing Houston’s location as a reference point. Each print was measured for the position of the red dot, and despite careful print registration, the dot never appeared in the same X,Y axis. Through this exercise, the artist reveals the imprecise and unstable nature of borders that are established through systems such as language.