The Monarch Migration

Artist Inez Garcia’s “The Monarch Migration” is a mobile, site-responsive project combining sculpture, performance, and community storytelling. Drawing inspiration from the transborder migration of Monarch butterflies, Garcia transforms wearable vitrines—each carrying live, ethically raised butterflies—into moving exhibitions through Latinx celebrations. Community members contribute words reflecting their immigration experience, forming an evolving visual archive. Rooted in Mexican cultural symbolism, the monarch represents ancestors returning to visit loved ones during Day of the Dead celebrations. The project highlights the crucial role both pollinators and Latinx agricultural workers play in food production the project asks: How can acts of migration, human and animal alike, illuminate resilience, remembrance, and sustainability?