US: IMMIGRATION AND DIASPORA IN AMERICA, AS SEEN AND FELT BY ITS ARTISTS
We are a nation of nations. Native Americans may have “sprung from the land” (only to be forced time and again from it); but the rest of us have been removed, or removed ourselves, from what we consider(ed) our mother soil, to wind up here. Our hyphenated ethnicities and nationalities do not maintain a fifth column within our borders, but neither do they allow us to melt into a sea of common DNA. We rejoice in our differences, or should; we suffer from our conformities; and we impoverish ourselves and one another with our absurdly cultivated xenophobia.
Artists are by nature expansive and accepting, as all Americans should by logic be. Artists don’t like barriers. They don’t value homogeneity. They do like motion and formation and change and the poetry of variation. Artists distinguish themselves from their more conventional fellow citizens (or fellow humans) not simply by accepting their own (and others’) unconventionality, but by prizing and cultivating it. Artists thrive on the diversity of experience. They need to draw such flavor from the world precisely in order to make their art of it.
The forces of conformity and censure are out in force as they haven’t been in a century. Democracy and independence struggle to maintain their sway over a civilization that needs them more now than ever. Identity and solidarity strain to hold back the forces of corrupt and illegitimate authority. The course of human events now calls upon our species to renew its vows of justice, charity, and social equity. These, of course, are ideals towards which artists in particular strive. Artists profess the unity of humankind not least because they need such unity to nurture their own creative impulse.
“Us” brings together over 100 artworks meant not just to advocate the free movement of people, but to declare the cultivation of their makers’ own distinction. While many of the artworks here decry the forces of division currently rampant, many other works admit their exotic and exoteric backgrounds. Today’s wars hang here next to conjurations of our grandparents’ conflicts. Globe-girdling diasporic currents, which made it possible for so many of us, and our forebears, to grow up American, continue unabated.
As the anti-democrats seek to stanch the rising and falling tides of immigration, the United States re-enacts its own history of prejudice and fear, going to extreme lengths to “close its borders” (largely against permanent and temporary migrants whose skills our industries in fact desperately need). The exercise is irrational, not to say immoral, serving only to translate vacuous bigotry into state policy. “Us” does not simply invite artists to decry and demonstrate against our country’s counter-productive, historically discredited treatment of those who would join us here. It demonstrates that artists have, dependably and forcefully, manifested their protestations and posted their declarations of interdependence. They remind us, as ever, that good neighbors make low fences.
Peter Frank
Los Angeles
June 2026
1.
Abram Moya Jr
Por mi Vida - (For my Life)
Watercolor
$800
2.
alain rogier
Searching For Godot 2026
acrylics, oil pastels, charcoal
$3000
3.
Andrea Vasquez
Blooming Generations
Masking tape, Wire, Glue, Acrylic
$200
4.
Andrée Carter
The Paradox of Ritual Number 05
Gold mesh, canvas, repurposed lace,embriodery thread, small hangars, gold thread, clothes oins
$400
5.
Ann Phong
Looking Back, I Still Hear The Voices
Acrylic
$4500
6.
Annie Marini- Genzon
Many Languages in One Place
Ceramic Sculpture, paper, wood, and natural fibers.
$1500
7.
Anush Babayan
1. Guardian Angels, Heralds of Joy,
rice paper, mineral pigment
$ 10 000
8.
Ava Arteaga
VIVA MEXICO
ceramic
$700
9.
Bart Vargas
THE ANCESTOR 16.75 x 12.25 2025
Framed hand-cut paper collage
$350
10.
Brandin Baron
A Parable on Migration (In the style of Awa Tsireh)
Digital illustration on paper with ink, gouache, chalk pastel and enamel, print 1/6
$400
11.
Carlos Buitrago
CarlosBuitrago_BeyondBorders_2024_AcrylicOnCanvas_40x30
Acrylic on canvas
$5000
12.
Caron Ory
Small Hands, Heavy Burdens: The Breaker Boys
Mixed Media: Plaster, joint compound, marble dust, Nat. Arch. photo, coffee, acrylic paint and ink.
$350
13.
Cathy Cervantes
Sirloin
mixed media- digital, acrylic, vintage fabric, wall paper
$700
14.
Cecilia Orozco
Honrando Trabajo: Reimagining Dairy
Oil and acrylic paint on laser cut MDF
NFS
15.
Christopher O'Mahony
Can't Find My Way Home
Salvaged Shoemaker Mold, Leather, Copper, Irish Pound Note (nGaeilge: Punt)
$2700
16.
Cory Sewelson
More Rush!
mixed media, oil paint on paper
$495
17.
Dakota X
Buddha at Ten With Service Dog Mouse
Oil on canvas
$8500
18.
Dali Polivka
Ruptures 5
mixed media on paper
$170
19.
Danae Nunez
Everyday Luchador: La Muchacha
oil, gold leaf
$3000
20.
Darryl Sapien
Worn Out Welcome IV
Acrylic on broken hydrocal panel (cast of welcome mat)
$7500
21.
Debra Vodhanel
My father refused to learn the language of his parents; he said it was the language of losers.
oil paint and cold wax medium on cradled wood panel
$400
22.
Diane Holland
Regenerate Art 1
Fujiflex Crystal Archive Print
$9000
23.
DONG KYU KIM
The Party is Over#2 front
paper receipts (2021–2025), cotton thread,microfiber
NFS
24.
Doni Silver Simons
Caged- the video
video
$500
25.
Donnal Poppe
veiled madona
Tulle and cotton fabric
$6500
26.
Elizabeth gorcey
Chilling Effect
Oil on Canvas
$3250
27.
Emily Elisa Halpern
Emily Halpern
Assemblage
$1700
28.
Eric Almanza
In Search of a New Home II
Oil on Canvas
$5500
29.
Erika Flores
Eye Have No Words
Ceramics
$1000
30.
Estella Amselem
Clutching My pearls.
Graphite on paper
NFS
31.
Ethan Zamora
Ode To Creativty
8mm film and digital film
$200
32.
Fabiola Penafiel
Just One Sip of American Luxury
Ceramics
NFS
33.
GARY VAN DER STEUR
Rock River Bridge PART ONE
HEVC encoded MP4 (1744x1080p)
NFS
34.
Ghassan Ghaib
The Lone Survivor
metal, wood, fabric, acrylic, rope
$5000
35.
Gregg Chadwick
Generations (Generaciones)
oil on linen
$1500
36.
HAN HSIANG HUANG
Tsia̍h Gín á
Porcelain, Raspberry Pi, sourdough bread, wire, found high chair, wood, live sourdough starter
$3000
37.
Hiroshi Mori
Interview with my father before he died (translation booklet)
printed matter as booklet
Free
38.
Hugh Foster
What lies beneath
pigment dye on fibre rag
$1800
39.
Isabel Varela
Perceptions
Video Collage
NFS
40.
Isabelle Hayeur
"Hope and fear on the other side", from the "Borderlands" photographic series
Photography, inkjet mounted on Dibond and laminated
$2000
41.
ivaylo angelov
Coffee and Cigarettes (the way we were)
Mixed media
$5200
42.
Jade Jwa
His Ground
Oil on wood panel
$2000
43.
Jan Kessel
Immigrant Diaspora Entry1 Jan Kessel How We Got Here
photography collage
$1500
44.
Jeffrey Frisch
DIASPORA TOWER View 1
Mixed Media Construction
$1200
45.
Jenny E. Balisle
ICE FREE ZONE
plastic and aluminum
$425
46.
Jill Simons
IMG 0568
Acrylic on canvas
$6500
47.
John Mireles
Two Cambodian Girls
Photograph, solvent ink on cellulose paper. Vintage frame
$2000
48.
John Sheridan
Bitter Border Phantasy of Liberty, 16x20
Archival Print. Originally Plastic, Metal.
$250
49.
Jonathan Vasquez
i don't understand
canvas
$350
50.
Jorg Dubin
Deported
Oil on linen
$12000
51.
Joseph Bernadas
A Family Portrait (AFAM)
Oil on canvas
$2000
52.
Joy Wolf
Heaven and Earth
Oil on canvas
$1500
53.
Julie Kaliuga
Immigration
Oil on Canvas
$5000
54.
Julio Pagán
LIBERTAD
Surfboard Foam, Plywood, Cardboard, Expanding Foam, Latex, Paper
NFS
55.
Kaleeka Bond
Heavy Is the Crown
Oil, acrylic, fabric, and rhinestones on canvas
$6200
56.
Kaori Takamura
This is How I Aged 108/Kinari (生成り)
Acrylic on Wood Panel, Hand Crafted Boxes, Antique Window Frame
NFS
57.
Kasden Phillips
Quilt of Guilt
Ink on Canvas, Screenprint
$500
58.
Kelly Burke
States of Being II: Diverse
Quilted painted applique stars on fabric
$1500
59.
LAURA RICE ROBINSON
This Land Is Your Land
Bronze, Mahogany, Navaho horse blanket, Mexican serape
NFS
60.
Laura Shapiro
Begin Again With A New Cow
Monoprint and acrylic on paper
$450
61.
Laurie Yehia
Multipoint Connectivity
gouache, graphite, colored pencil and collage on Arches paper
$2200
62.
Lori Shocket
Negotating the Divide
Acrylic paint, cotton and linen blend fabrics, rope, hemp cord and twine. Hand sticthed.
$2500
63.
Lorien Suarez
Lorien Suarez, Migrations Mosaic, Tufted Tapestry, 36 x 36 inches, 2025
Tufted Tapestry
$4650
64.
Martin Bustamante
The Fence
Digital Collage
$400
65.
Michael Murphy
California Native
Digital
$200
66.
Minoo Amini
Resident Alien, Collage on panel, 2026, 11x14x1.5
Collage on panel
$165
67.
Minu Verma
Maiden of the well
Oil
NFS
68.
Mobina Nouri
The Geometry of Exile
Acrylic, oil , metal chains and thread on natural material
$32000
69.
Monique Rebelle
#133 DARKEN
Oil on canvas
$4900
70.
Nan Wollman
Fight
stoneware, with metal hanger
$175
71.
Nancy Alcala
Consuelo [Solace]
Terracotta, Stoneware, and Wire
NFS
72.
Nancy Mooslin
Hindu Chant 21 Oms #3
watercolor, block printing, handmade paper collage
$650
73.
Natalie Rios
Rios, Natalie Color Sample(s)
acrylic on panel
$5000
74.
Nurit Avesar
Avesar Migration Thrust 0326 mailer
mixed media on canvas, acrylic paint and window screen
$700
75.
Pamela Beck
Magnetosphere
Archival Pigment Print
$8500
76.
Pennie Fien
Between Two Worlds
Paper, Fabric, Vintage Postcard, Tape Photo Transfer, Watercolor
$300
77.
Peter Hiers
Detour Ahead - main view
found tire rubber
NFS
78.
Priyam Jancosko
Jhula
Augmented Reality poster, digital print, 2D animation, 3D model, sound (MindAR, A-Frame, Anime.js)
$250
79.
Rebecca Nabarrete
An Americn Dollar
Acrylic on Paper
$300
80.
Reza Saleh
Fearless
Acrylic - Canvas
$8000
81.
RHONDA URDANG
Self-Portrait with Coyote Pelt (Chief Blackbird, Omaha, 1800)
Acrylic on Canvas, archival pigment prints, historical elements
$3000
82.
Robert von Kepner
2010 72dpi 01 (2)
2B graphite pencil on paper
$15000
83.
Robin Repp
Finally Citizenship at 93 Years Old
Photography
NFS
84.
Robin Roy
Self Portrait with Ancestors
Digital print
$600
85.
roopa kosuri
The Cartography of Belonging
Blockprint and acrylic paint on paper
$880
86.
Rosemary Meza-DesPlas
Meza DesPlas Pinto Beans
video artwork
$5000
87.
Rosy Cortez
Dreamers
Oil on Canvas
NFS
88.
Ruth Gonzales
fragments_ 1_
dry_ pigments_oil_ on_ canvas_ on_ wood_ panel_
$2800
89.
sandra lauterbach
Crossing Borders
Textiles
$1500
90.
Sarah Cecil
Home I _ Triptych
Gesso, lace, paper, acrylic, gouache on board
$1200
91.
Seta Injeyan
Bleeding Symbol
Acrylic on canvas
$1800
92.
Shawna Park
Longing for Home
Korean Traditional Painting
NFS
93.
Sheila Rodriguez
Elote
Gallery wrapped canvas, Oil, hand embroidery
$1800
94.
Shelley Heffler
American Liberty
woven vinyl
$1100
95.
soheila siadate
Photoroom 20260521 155706
Mixed Media
$2500
96.
somaya etemad
Broken Identity
oil paint
$950
97.
Sophia Kim Reeves
Time Through Crossing
Hanji, graphite, oil pastel, acrylic on canvas
NFS
98.
Steven Fujimoto
Fujimoto SHOOTING STAR
Cross stitch, oil on canvas, acrylic on acetate, beads, glitter, metallic paint
$6000
99.
Susan Sommer
Golden
oil on canvas
$2500
100.
Susanna Eisenman
Remembering Vincent
Textile and Paper Collage
$2000
101.
Sylvain Latendresse
Liminal
Acrylic on Canvas
$9950
102.
Teresa Greve Wolf
This could be you
Acrylic on canvas, reflective paper, chain and lock
$5000
103.
Terry Acebo-Davis
Babae
Film postives, tape, embroidery hoops and hardware suspensions
NFS
104.
TOM LAMB
LA RIVER SERIES #8
aerial color photograph
$3400
105.
Tom Pazderka
The Hike
Ash, oil and charcoal on burned panel
$4700
106.
Tyler Bumgarner
Woven TylerBumgarner
Motion Graphic Video
NFS
107.
William West
Sanctuary
Oil on Canvas Board
NFS
108.
Willie Hernandez
Ruta Rapida a Santa Ana
mixed media on canvas
$1000