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Francisco Ortega-Grimaldo

Graphic Designer, 28 years of age. Graduated with a MA in Arts from the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) in May 2002. I enjoy working with border issues that seem obvious and that only few people don’t take for granted. I developed a sensitivity that allows me to work in a multidisciplinary perception thanks to the mentoring and friendship of Rafael Fajardo (currently a professor at the University of Denver, Colorado). Usually mixing psychology, semiotics, popular behavior/history (please don’t confuse with sociology) and graphic design, I engage in my projects trying to find personal answers to common questions that end as statements and are shown as art.

One of my most exhibited projects has been “Crossing The Border: a board game.” (©2004) It shows in the most amusing way – fun for the whole family – the frustration that anyone goes thru when trying to cross the international border from Mexico to the United States. Also, it confronts the issues of illegal drug traffic, poverty, social communion at the bridges, and international policy. The game has been presented at the Mexic-Arte Museum in Austin, Texas (Fall 2002–Spring 2003), the University of Texas at El Paso’s library (Summer 2002), and is now on permanent exhibition at the Center for Inter-American and Border Studies (El Paso, Texas). It also has been presented in several lectures that deal with US-Mexico border politics.

I currently work for the Model Institution for Excellence program at UTEP as a graphic design/multimedia advisor. Also, I have worked as a designer for several non-government organizations on both sides of the border, although, my main interest is to work in research, spreading the word of social analysis by means of graphic design.