By Emma Popkin / El Paso Matters
Known for her large-scale interactive light and sound installations, El Paso artist Laura Turón says her work aims to create a sense of unity and engagement.
“I try to present my art installations where people can enter and create in the field a sense of belonging, like they’re a part of it,” she said.
Turon, 34, began her career using traditional artistic mediums. But her curiosity led her to explore the intersections between art and technology. Her interactive installations use sensors, algorithms, and digital interfaces to create immersive experiences.
One of her notable projects, “The Hive,” is an interactive light and sound installation comprising two spaces to walk through, that responds to viewer movements, creating a dynamic environment. This project, located in her Paradox Immersive Art Gallery in South- Central El Paso, highlights Turón’s technical skills and her ability to engage audiences.
Laura Turón is silhouetted in front of “Sapciousness,” an installation piece by Isadora Stowe that is shown at Turón’s gallery, June 14, 2024. (Corrie Boudreaux/El Paso Matters)
“It’s important to me to create this type of art where people can enter and feel welcome and also relax and express themselves and accept themselves,” she said.
Her latest work at Paradox, “Enchanted Skies,” opened in June and runs through the end of the year. It combines interactive projections with depictions of the Northern Lights, which she experienced during her month-long SIM Residency in Reykjavik, Iceland, this spring. The work includes an exhibit of photographs she took during her residency.
“It has always been one of my dreams to go over (to Iceland) and research the Northern Lights to see how they can influence my art,” she says of the lights, known scientifically as “aurora borealis.” The natural phenomenon, seen in the night sky, occurs when electrically charged particles from the sun collide with the Earth’s magnetic field, according to the Northern Lights Gude of the Nordic Visitor Center in Iceland.
In the first room of the Paradox Immersive Art gallery, a large piece created from thousands of tick marks shows a portion of the Rio Grande, June 14, 2024. Artist Laura Turón says that these pieces signify the passing of time. (Corrie Boudreaux/El Paso Matters)
Visitors to Paradox can also draw a silhouette of themselves and write a message as part of a community mural.
Her upcoming projects include a new interactive installation with augmented reality and workshops integrating technology into traditional art forms.
Turón, who graduated from the University of Texas at El Paso with a bachelor’s in drawing and graphic design in 2014, co-founded the Border Art Residency in 2017 to provide emerging artists with studio space, resources and mentorship. The goal, she said, is to foster a collaborative art community in El Paso.
One of her key community projects is the “Temporary Collective,” a series of large-scale murals created with local artists and residents. These murals include “Unity in Diversity,” which celebrates the cultural diversity of El Paso.
It features imagery that represents various ethnic groups in the city, emphasizing the theme of unity.
Local artist Laura Turón sells merchandise based on her own “Paradox” series and on the work of other artists shown in her gallery, Paradox Immersive Art, in South Central El Paso, June 14, 2024. (Corrie Boudreaux/El Paso Matters)
“Voices of the Borderland,” another such piece, addresses issues related to migration and border identity, including portraits and symbols that reflect the experiences of those living in the border region.
It serves as a powerful statement on the fluid nature of borders and cultural exchange. This project serves as a platform for community expression, addressing social issues and celebrating El Paso’s cultural heritage.
Turón’s work frequently explores identity and cultural narratives. Growing up in a border city, she understands the complexities of cultural identity.
Her series “Borderlands” uses mixed media (such as acrylic paint, ink, graphite, and charcoal) to depict abstract landscapes of the U.S.-Mexico border, inviting viewers to contemplate their own notions of identity and belonging.
One of Turón’s most notable sculptures is called “Unity,” a blue, wave-like piece installed at a roundabout on Country Club Road and Memory Drive in the Upper Valley in January 2022.
The piece is meant to represent the importance of water within communities and was commissioned by the city of El Paso under its Public Arts Program, which sets aside 2% from every capital improvement project budget for public art.
“Laura’s works, usually developed slowly and methodically from repetitive and meditative marks, often create immersive works that viewers can get lost in if they choose to slow down and really look,” Ben Fyffe, managing director of the city’s Museums and Cultural Affairs Department, said in a statement. “Her ability to transcend media and explore unconventional approaches shows a fearlessness that to me is inspiring.”
Turón has earned numerous awards and grants, including the Texas Visual Artist Award and multiple grants from the National Endowment for the Arts. Her work has been exhibited in galleries and institutions across the United States and internationally, including the El Paso Museum of Art, the Museo de Arte de Ciudad Juárez, and the Museo de las Americas in Madrid, Spain.
Paradox Immersive Art is open from 8 to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays at the gallery, 3915 Rosa Ave. through November. Admission into the gallery is free, though entry into the special interactive exhibits is $10.
“I invite people to come in and support local artists and purchase local designs,” Turón said.
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