By Susan Wallner, JerseyArts.com
originally published: 12/10/2020
Ada Trillo is a bilingual documentary photographer who grew up–literally–crossing the border. Born in El Paso, her family moved to Juárez when she was young, but she attended school in Texas. It meant an hours-long commute over the border every day. Trillo went on to become a painter, but Donald Trump’s hateful comments about Mexicans when he was first running for president caused her to make a radical shift. She had to show the people she knew.
Her photo journey began with a ride on the notoriously dangerous “La Bestia,” a freight train hopped by migrants and asylum seekers with no other options. The Noyes Museum’s Kramer Gallery in Hammonton, NJ, is now showing a selection of Trillo’s portraits in the exhibition “If Walls Could Speak: Asylum Seekers,” open both in person and online through January 8, 2021.
Trillo spoke by cell phone to producer Susan Wallner about her life and her documentary art.
Cover photos: “Ismael Casa del Migrante,” “La Bestia,” “Laura,” “Quinceanera,” and “Leeway Wiliam Gonsalez”
About the author: Susan Wallner is a principal of PCK Media, an independent production company. She is the co-series producer of the public television program 'State of the Arts,' a job that has introduced her to a wealth of talent and artistic diversity over the years. Susan's documentaries and performance specials have aired nationally. Most recently, her profile of the writer, aviator and celebrity, 'Anne Morrow Lindbergh: You’ll Have the Sky,' won the 2017 Mid-Atlantic Emmy for Best Feature Writing (it was Susan's 15th regional Emmy win). Narrated by Judith Light and Lily Rabe, it aired throughout the country on PBS and PBS World, and is available on DVD. Currently, Susan is working on a documentary about the self-taught city planner, builder, and artist, Kea Tawana.
Content provided by
Discover Jersey Arts, a project of the ArtPride New Jersey Foundation and New Jersey State Council on the Arts.
EVENT PREVIEWS
East Lynne Theater Company Presents The Premiere of "Art Titans: Masters Of A New Era–Sydnei SmithJordan: Pop Fusion And The Power Of Legacy"
(CAPE MAY, NJ) -- The new East Lynne Theater Company continues to recreate itself and expand boundaries by hosting the world premiere of the ongoing documentary series "Art Titans: Masters of a New Era," which now focuses on world-renown, Cape May artist Sydnei SmithJordan in "Pop Fusion and the Power of Legacy." There are two opportunities to see the documentary and view SmithJordan's work at the Clemans Theater for the Arts at the Allen AME Church: red-carpet premiere on Saturday, April 11 at 7:00pm and Sunday, April 12 at 2:00pm.
Riverside Gallery presents Bong Jung Kim: Between Pulse and Horizon
(HACKENSACK, NJ) -- Riverside Gallery presents a solo exhibition, Between Pulse and Horizon, featuring assemblages and sculptural paintings of Bong Jung Kim. The exhibition runs from April 10-27, 2026. Kim's recent body of work juxtaposes traditional painting with found objects in the fashion of a techno abstract expressionism with mechanical, electronic, and organically painted parts.
Garden State Art Weekend to Take Place April 17-19
(EAST ORANGE, NJ) -- Garden State Art Weekend (GSAW), a statewide celebration of New Jersey's visual arts, will return for a third consecutive year. Running from April 17–19, 2026, the festival will transform the state into an expansive art crawl featuring exhibitions, open studios, and community arts events.
Garden State Art Weekend Returns April 17-19, 2026
(EAST ORANGE, NJ) -- From Sussex County to Cape May, the third annual Garden State Art Weekend (GSAW) returns April 17-19, 2026. This year's festival is the most expansive yet, featuring 103 venues across 18 of New Jersey's 21 counties, including 31 new venues and 4 new counties in South Jersey.
NJCU Visual Arts Gallery presents: Intertwined: 2026 NJCU BFA Thesis Exhibition
(JERSEY CITY, NJ) -- Get ready to be inspired! The New Jersey City University Visual Arts Gallery is unveiling its annual Bachelor of Fine Arts exhibition, showcasing two incredible groups of emerging artists. Each opening reception will celebrate the creativity, innovation, and passion of NJCU's graduating BFA students.
Gallery Space presents Face(t)s of America Exhibition
(RAHWAY, NJ) -- Mayor Raymond A. Giacobbe and the Rahway City Council are pleased to present Face(t)s of America, a curated exhibition at Gallery Space from April 18 through June 13, 2026. The exhibition is free and open to the public.
Princeton University Library to host two exhibitions commemorating the nation's 250th anniversary in 2026
(PRINCETON, NJ) -- Visitors this spring to Firestone Library's Milberg Gallery will step into the world of revolutionary Princeton with the opening of "Nursery of Rebellion": Princeton and the American Revolution on April 15, 2026. This exhibition will offer the chance to see the Library's original copies of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.
