The Bridge Between Communities: A Review of I-10 at Presa House

As someone who was born and raised in Houston and goes to college in San Antonio, I travel along I-10 frequently. The highway that connects these two cities causes travelers to experience a multitude of emotions such as exhaustion, tenacity, curiosity, and satisfaction.  This causes I-10 to be a perfect title in Presa House’s exhibition, featuring Houston artists, which encompasses the tone of a demanding yet fulfilling journey. The works in I-10 highlight the exploration necessary in discovering and grounding oneself in their individuality, existence, and environment. Investigating one's identity is a common topic for Houston and San Antonio artists. 

With constant exposure to both cultural climates, I have witnessed similarities between both the Latinx community in San Antonio and the Black community in Houston. Houston is a cultural powerhouse for Black socioeconomic growth which is paralleled to San Antonio’s history and community through its Spanish influence and indigenous pride. Artists in both areas draw energy and inspiration from their surroundings, including the people, neighborhoods, history, and culture. These artists prove that while I-10 has an end destination, the journey of identity is never finished. 

Corey Sherrard Jr, Black Education 42/50 pg.2 [iter. 2], 2023. Acrylic, chalk, graphite, and house paint on a wood panel. 72 x 48 in. Image courtesy of artist.

Black Education 42/50 pg.2 [iter, 2]  is a map-like landscape visualized in a grid pattern and plot points. Cities with multiple Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) are marked with a circle around the plotted point. The title of the artwork explains how the map shows 50 HBCUs spread across 42 different cities. As part of a larger series paired with audio, the white lines between the plot points recall images of EQing music and the imagery is converted into musical notes to be read as a score. With the sound component removed in this show, the visuals are left to stand for itself. Even without audio, the connections between each point read as community and interconnection, while the empty space around the points create an underlying tone of isolation. 

There is only one plotted point in the center of the map circled, emphasizing the singular city with multiple HBCUs. It reveals the geographic spread and centralization of Black migration. HBCUs were founded after the Civil War and during segregation in response to Black students being denied admission to white colleges. Historically, Black communities had limited places where they could safely build educational institutions. It reveals how this particular city, with more than one HBCU, strengthens cultural and economic support networks. 

This is mirrored in San Antonio as it has 13 Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI), meaning that more than 25% of the student population is Hispanic. These universities include courses nurturing Latinx and Hispanic heritage, allowing students to learn their histories. As a Hispanic art student at UTSA, I have been able to take art history courses specific to Spain and explore the Chicanx art style of rasquachismo. Not only do I, and my peers, learn our cultural history, we also build community through student-led organizations that celebrate and empower Hispanic and Latinx identities, similar to the community at HBCUs. 

Marc Newsome, It Don’t Stop, 2024. Video. 1:30 min. Looping film shot in Third Ward, Houston.  Image courtesy of Elena Benavides. 

The timelapse video It Don’t Stop, showcases a crane tearing down a house in the Third Ward in Houston. The video then plays in reverse, where it looks as if the crane is rebuilding the house up. In front of the house are two large red dice which could symbolize the fortune or misfortune of life. Located in The Third Ward, this area is known for its rich Black history and community through developments in the Civil Rights movement. Radio stations and newspapers targeting Black audiences nurtured Black artistic talent here. The south side of the ward has undergone gentrification with the rebuilding of houses or renovations and the upgrades to the heart of the community in Emancipation Park. The dice prompts viewers to reflect on the tone of the work because, as it has both a negative and positive connotation. While updating the environment and structures provides space for new growth, it challenges the inclusion of the existing communities. Gentrifying areas erases the history of its current residents and is a gamble on the type of impact this work has to the area. Even in San Antonio there are efforts to gentrify the East side, a historically Latinx community. These residents experience skyrocketing housing costs and local, small businesses are being forced out of business. Both the East side in San Antonio and the Third Ward in Houston contain the heart and soul of colored communities, yet the cities prioritize revenue over the well-being of its residents.  

Chayse Sampy, Space is the Place, 2025. Oil and tulie plastic mesh on unstretched canvas. 60 x 40 in. Image courtesy of Elena Benavides. 

The grand size and bright colors of Chayse Sampy’s Space is the Place makes it bigger than life, reminding me of the murals filling Houston and San Antonio. The work nods to Houston’s nickname of “Space City” with an astronaut helmet worn by a Black woman donning a fur coat. She rocks orange tinted shades, glancing over her shoulder with a sense of resilience which captures her confidence. Sampy is an afro-surrealist, embracing a dream-like style in order to comment on current Black social conditions. The style is based on the surreal idea that space is where peace exists and that this is not an earthly reality. Sampy commits to her passion about being an Houstonian through this work, yet the city historically fails to accept Sampy for who she is as a Black woman.  

There are parallels between Afro-Surrealism and rasquachismo, as both allow for freedom of expression through the infinite use of material to establish the cultural identity of the artist. These unique stylistic processes grant the artist an opportunity to explore disconnected cultural roots and establish a unique perspective. Sampy seeks to understand her place within Afro-diaspora, as a Black woman moving through the U.S. and embracing her hometown. This process is reflected in how Latinx artists search within their indigenous roots and the history of San Antonio's Spanish colonial era as a way to find their individuality. Detachment from one's cultural roots develops a need to build a new path, blending from known history and the environment around them. Sampy found her place with her “space” through staying true to her African roots, but still acknowledging her pride for her city, Houston. 

Together, these works create a spectrum of artistic mindsets when exploring identity. Corey Sherrard Jr. visualizes the geography of education and segregation through the historical foundations of HBCUs. While Black communities' ties were strengthened, there is still a continuation of separation from an accepting American society. There is even a thriving Latinx populace in San Antonio, but recent ICE raids breed grounds for harmful stereotypes and malevolence from other Americans. There are attempts from the cities to bridge this civil divide through gentrification of housing as seen in Marc Newsome’s video. Although I wonder if this solely focuses on uplifting the physical environment instead of providing means for its residents to be supported. Sampy’s artwork depicts a utopia of love and acceptance, instead of being “othered.” Is there a way cities can pay respect to cultural division in this manner? Imagine our individual experiences and identities having an environment where they can thrive in equilibrium. Even though it is not our current reality it could be if we commit to nurturing spaces where diverse cultures, histories, and identities are honored equally. 

In the United States today, racial inequality and prejudice still persists, especially for Black and Latinx communities. I want to remind my readers that everyone has a distinctive voice and perspective which needs to be used to induce change, a message shared earlier this year by Angela Weddle. These artists use their talents and time to make change, I write to spread their message, what can you do to continue this chain of social change? Just like I-10 physically connects Houston and San Antonio, the arts and activism can form a bridge of empathy and transformation, uniting the cultures and communities of these two cities. 

I-10 is on view at Presa House until July 19, 2025. Gallery hours are by appointment only.