AWC art professor exhibits work in Chicago

A series of clay sculptures that earned an Arizona Western College professor first-place honors in a Texas art exhibition is now featured in an immigration-themed art show at Loyola University, Chicago.

Angel Luna, a professor of fine arts at AWC, has the only entry from Arizona in "Prospectus Reforming U.S.; Immigration Through Art," which takes place through July 13 at the university's Crown Center Gallery.

Immigration and its social, economic, political and artistic effect on the United States is the theme of the show, and Luna has entered three clay sculptures that make up the "Border Monster" series.

The sculptures, individually titled "Border Monster: Devil," "Border Monster: Jaguar" and "Border Monster: Fool," reflect the idea that people crossing the borders illegally are seen as monsters, he previously told The Sun.

"Border Monster: Devil," a sculpture of an immigrant wearing a traditional Mexican mask in the likeness of the devil, won first place in the 14th annual international juried exhibition "Crossing Borders" in December 2006 at the Laredo Center for the Arts in Laredo, Texas.

In 2007, it went on to be showcased at the Gloria Kennedy Gallery in New York City as part of an exhibit titled "Clay: Applied Art vs. Fine Art."