“Travels of Fortune is a tribute to the recent Mayan immigrants from Southern Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras (as well as many others from the Caribbean islands, and Africa) who have faced a harsh reality when trying to apply for refugee status in this country. Particularly interesting to me is the fact that Indigenous people from meso-America, who speak Spanish or English as a second language, are more American – from the Americas – than any European takeover of North America. This work is based on ancient Mayan art from painted ceramics and sculpture and includes a contemporary Mayan girl.
Immigrants are victims of old colonial practices – economic (unequal exchange), political (dictatorships imposed by US interventions), and climate change (caused by developed nations). They arrive to the border as desperate refugees and find a reality as dangerous as the life they left behind.
In the print, I wanted to focus on the positive cultural heritage these refugees bring. There is no need to fear them. Our country will get richer culturally (with art, food, music), and economically (as hard-working people who take jobs Americans don’t want) if they are ever accepted. They take life threatening chances few people would take in search of a better life not unlike the Pilgrims, hence the word Fortune in my title.”
– Enrique Chagoya