Diana Molina: Celebrated Curator and Advocate for Borderland Arts
Diana Molina, curator of the Icons and Symbols of the Borderland exhibit, has served as the Creative Director of the JUNTOS Art Association since 2012. Born just half a mile from the U.S.-Mexico border, Molina’s artistic work spans diverse mediums, capturing the challenges of life on the margins while resonating with universal audiences.
With a strong early interest in both arts and sciences, Molina began her professional journey as a software engineer at IBM, working on groundbreaking robotics and automation projects. She later transitioned to a decade-long career in Amsterdam as a photographer and writer for renowned international publications, including Elle, Esquire, Geo, Marie Claire, National Geographic Traveler, and Vogue. Her work also featured prominently in the book Amsterdam, Small Town Big City (1996) and in photographic collections created for the Netherlands Bureau of Tourism and Gamma Press.
Molina’s deep engagement with indigenous culture began during extended stays with the Tarahumara people of northern Mexico. Her first solo exhibition, centered on their traditions, was presented at the World Museum of Art in Rotterdam. Over the years, her exhibits have been showcased in art, science, and history museums across the United States and Europe. Additionally, her photo essays are preserved in the special collections of the University of Texas at El Paso and the Benson Latin American Collection at the University of Texas at Austin.
Currently part of the New Mexico Humanities Council Lecture Program, Molina continues to explore the intersections of art, ecology, and humanity, bringing critical conversations about culture and environment to a global stage.
