Jorge Villarreal (b.1986) is a multidisciplinary artist with a background in architecture, fine arts, and photography within the U.S. and abroad. Raised in McAllen, TX, a border town, Villarreal is a first- generation Mexican American whose upbringing was defined by constant motion and transition. Immersed in two distinct cultures, he navigated the boundaries between the two countries and contemplated which side of the border best represented his identity. This early experience instilled in Villarreal a unique and dichotomous perspective, which continues to inspire and guide his work as an artist.

Jorge Villarreal investigates the tension of the “between” of being both ‘of’ and ‘othered.’ he is interested in the use of one culture’s language and uses it to investigate and challenge the other. He employ color, symbolism, ritual, and iconography to explore divisions that are personal, physical, spiritual, and political.

Villarreal’s work has been exhibited in various cities, including New York City, Miami, San Antonio, College Station, El Paso, Ciudad Juarez, Seoul, Berlin, Paris, Mexico City, and Havana. He was awarded a residency at the Künstlerhaus Bethanien through The Contemporary Berlin Residency Program, participated in the New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program, and in 2024, Villarreal was selected to exhibit in the Border Biennial simultaneously held in El Paso, TX, and Ciudad Juarez, Mexico.

Currently, he maintains ... view more »

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Artist Statement of Work

Tell us about your work (style, approach, philosophy, subject and/or theme):

I am a first-generation Mexican American whose upbringing on the border was defined by constant motion and transition. Immersed in two distinct cultures, I navigated the boundaries between the two countries and contemplated which side of the border best represented my identity. This early experience instilled in me a unique and dichotomous perspective, which continues to inspire and guide my work as an artist.

My art investigates the tensions of betweenness, being both, and othered. I am interested in the use of one culture’s language and use it to investigate and challenge the other. I employ color, symbolism, ritual, and iconography to explore divisions both personal and political. My works feature photographed deteriorating walls that depict the history of an area. 

Walls are storytellers and symbolize the physical barriers between borders, cultures, language, and identity. My photographs display color gradients that symbolize the transitions between borders in a physical and mental state. They also symbolize the metamorphosis that happens when adjusting to a new environment. Each art piece serves as a fingerprint that identifies and reveals the transition that takes place in an area between cultures, across borders, and through time.

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