Arts & Culture

Only Here Podcast: The Godfather Of Border Art

By Kinsee Morlan / Podcast Producer & Project Coordinator

Published November 20, 2019 at 2:40 PM PST

This story was published more than 5 years ago.

Tijuana artist Marcos Ramírez, who goes by "Erre," stands behind his new sculpture in front of the San Ysidro Port of Entry in this photo taken Sept. 5, 2019.

Today, we’re kicking off an ongoing series of episodes about border art. In this episode, we talk to a guy we're calling the godfather of border art. He's the guy who helped put border art on the map: Marcos Ramírez, a Tijuana artist most people know as “Erre.” Border art is art at the actual border fence, art about the border, and often times, it’s both. It feels weird to say that the U.S.-Mexico border wall inspires artists. Because mostly, it pisses them off. Not to lump all artists into one sweeping stereotype, but a lot of the work being made about the border is pretty heavy in its opposition to the fence and all it stands for. It’s protest art. Or art that wants to start a conversation about power, immigration or human rights.

Border art is art at the actual border fence, art about the border, and often times, it’s both.

It feels weird to say that the U.S.-Mexico border wall inspires artists. Because mostly, it makes them mad.

Not to lump all artists into one sweeping stereotype, but a lot of the artwork being made about the border is heavy in its opposition to the fence and all it stands for. It’s protest art. Or art that wants to start a conversation about power, immigration or human rights.

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In a new episode of "Only Here," a KPBS podcast about the unexplored subcultures, creativity and struggles at the U.S.-Mexico border, we kick off an ongoing series of shorter episodes about border art. In this episode, we talk to an artist we're calling the godfather of border art: Marcos Ramírez, a Tijuana artist most people know as “Erre.”