Mountain of Gold: A History of East and Southeast Asian Cultures in El Paso del Norte, 1880s – 1980s
Sep 27, 2025 - Jan 24, 2027
The title Mountain of Gold refers to how many families described the United States as the “mountain of gold” and Mexico as the “mountain of silver” as they journeyed to border in pursuit of prosperity.
Historically, many Asian individuals were often formally and informally labeled as Chinese, but this installation explores the unique stories and influences of East and Southeast Asian communities in the borderlands. Drawing on local memories and histories, this community-based exhibition honors and explores our region’s historic Chinese, Korean, Filipino, Japanese, and Vietnamese communities. Mountain of Gold challenges narratives of an Asian monolith and dives into each group’s distinct traditions, highlighting different family stories, neighborhoods, businesses, and community institutions as well as cultural exchanges along the border.
