Letter from Thomas J. Benitez, Director Mexican American Self Help Center in Los Angeles recommending Giles to LA City Supervisor Gloria Molina and Dr. Johnathan Yorba, Director of the Mexican American Cultural Center.   Benitez interviewed Giles as to his attitude and the significance of the sculpture.   Read Letter

In 2004, Prof. Yorba, the Mexican Culture Center director, helps to document the value of this cultural artifact with his introduction to the Smithsonian.

2004 - Smithsonian Inquiry

Simultaneously, the Smithsonian lost interest due to the LA Times article saying the gates were given to Giles by a foreman in error. At the same time Giles lost interest because Smithsonian said the Sculpture would go to storage.

2005 - El Paso, Texas Attempts to Place Gates
Attempted placement of gates with Chamber of Commerce,  El Paso, TX - for Border Memorial, as a way to bring attention to the " women of Juarez" who have been murdered at the Mexican-US border - 4 month effort.

The Gates were offered to Amnesty International but also declined - 3 months effort.

2005 - Tijuana Attempts to Place Gates
Attempted placement of gates with Zeta newspaper in Tijuana, Mexico.  Border Memorial would have honored murdered journalists buy drug cartels - 3 months effort.

2005 - Goa India Film Festival Award about Gates project, essential short edits here: Link

2006

Personally Interviewed by curator for attempted placement of gates at the Historic Law and Art Building,  Toronto, Canada. 

Giles speculates that Monsignor Fleming gift of the gates to him could be seen as a "Fleming Experiment"..

July 2008 - Letter to the City of Los Angeles about Gates Moving
LA City Beat letter published respectfully announcing the removal of the gates from Los Angeles.

July 2008 - Gates Move to Portland,Oregon

• Gates moved to Portland, Or.
• .Leased store front
• Gates on Display in Portland seeking Placement
• Open House weekend in Portland - Dec 12 Guadalupe Festival Day.  Snowed out by the blizzard of the decade.

2009 - Documentation Proving Gift of Gates to Giles after 10 year wait.
Bill Baeder, former business manager of Cathedral St. Vibiana, documenting intentional gift of Gates to Giles.  Letter clarifies media misinformation of 2001.  Read Letter

2010 - New Orleans

From first impressions, it seemed wonderful that Ms. Graves introduction to Mr. Manjarris's group had led to an invitation to place the artifact sculpture on the campus of the University of New Orleans.

We then discover the invitation was not simply to facilitate the placement of the artifact for some side money but they also wanted legal authority as well. Having told me that everything they handle is for sale, and their possession is nine tenths of the law, and dozens of artists want their favor.

I'm not the artist of this historic sculpture. We have wanted a placement in perpetuity.

It seemed to us this "non-profit" operation was using New Orleans for a sales gallery. Mr. Manjarris gave me a 30 day deadline to deliver this 3000 pound work of art 3000 miles without written agreements as to spacific location, for how long, maintenance, ownership, plaque wording, and would the cross on the sculpture be okay with the University.

With the combined experience of Dr. Ochberg, Ms. Graves, Mr. Manjarris, and myself not able to respectfully do this, I am re thinking the plan.

Invitation Press Release1 Press Release2

2010 - Beijing Peace Concert