Feature Arleene Correa Valencia transforms bark paper and embroidery into a tender reckoning with the reality of being undocumented in the United States.

April 28, 2026 — 8 min read

Arleene Correa Valencia, "It’s Easier To Leave Before The Sun Rise: It Hurts Less If We Don’t Say Goodbye / Es Más Facil Salir De Madrugada: Sin Despedida Duele Menos" (2025) (image courtesy Fridman Gallery)

This story was copublished with Next City , a nonprofit news organization reporting on solutions for more sustainable, accessible, inclusive, and equitable cities.

Visitors walking into Manhattan’s Fridman Gallery are instantly met with Arleene Correa Valencia’s four-by-five-foot acrylic and textile composition depicting six figures outlined in thread and fabric. They’re riding in the back of a red pickup truck, and their faces are blank.…