Spectra is a site-specific installation by El Paso native Adrian Esparza. Through his transformation of low-cost mass-produced products — such as T-shirts, serapes and posters — Esparza combines traditional Mexican-American craft-based practices with the universal language of geometric abstraction. Permeating HCCC's Front Gallery, his deconstructed serape installation brings Mexican-American identity to the forefront by calling into question the serape's function as Mexican icon.

Through a process of unweaving and reconfiguration, Esparza dilutes the textile's potency as a clean-cut symbol of Mexican heritage. Taken as an aesthetic platform, Esparza's installation opens up a conversation that addresses the socio-economic and political issues of living in a border town. On a broader level, the work connects Mexican-American identity to a global heritage.

On view through May 11, 2014.