These 2 mixed media collages were submitted to Xavier Vasquez for the Fall 2019 edition of his zine entitled Magagagaga Zine, which premiered during SD Zine Fest at Bread & Salt. He also hosts Axiom Sound System with Andromeda Breeze. Radio Axiom and The Axiom Sound System are live internet radio and live in-person events in and around San Diego. He also runs an art studio called Studio 6608 in the SDSU area of San Diego.
“Blood Bath”
2019 Mixed Media Collage (Paper Collage w/ Digital Edits) 11×14
“Divine Devastation”
2019 Mixed Media Collage (Paper Collage w/ Digital Edits) 11×14
Friendship Park in Playas de Tijuana, Baja California Fall 2019
I also entered a photo (from a series) to accompany one of the topics being discussed. I think that the set of 6 photos has such a dramatic impact and will hopefully allow those who do not live in this region to get a better idea of what life is like traveling between Tijuana, Mexico and San Diego, California. If you visit Friendship Park in Mexico you’ll find it is a calm and peaceful place where friends and family come to visit. There are shops and restaurants and some cool art installations and murals.
On the other side of this fence in San Diego is Border-field State Park — it is completely the opposite. You must walk about 1 mile from the designated parking area to get to the beach, then once at the beach another 1/2 mile or so to get to the fence which is consistently watched by border patrol agents. They will not allow you to go with in 100ft of the fence, except once a week on Sundays where people from both sides are allowed to speak with family or friends or any person who may not be able to cross the border for whatever reason.
I became savvy to this information because we attempted to walk all the way to the fence at which point a border patrol squad car used his loudspeaker to tell us to stop. We then walked up to the border patrol’s vehicle and asked them what was going on, at which point they explained the once a week rule to us.
The impact on me of the graffiti, murals, and fabric collages at Friendship Park in Playas, Baja California was something I will never forget. The fence on the Mexican side, where Friendship Park is, changes daily. I have been there several times but I have never seen anything as powerful. The image used in Magagagaga Zine is the top left that has an American flag with the words “Absolutely No Stars” sewn into it — this pretty much sums it up for me because I could not agree more.
