REDLANDS >> The beauty and history of the north side of Redlands is the focal point of a new exhibit by a poet and a photographer.

Opening today at the University of Redlands Art Gallery, “Beyond the Fences” — “Más Allá de los Fences” in Spanish — uses the two mediums to showcase a part of town that’s full of surprises, according to collaborators Thomas McGovern and Juan Delgado.

“We all have these great ideas of these beautiful homes (here) and it’s really an interesting community,” photographer McGovern said, “but there was also that other side of Redlands — that north side — that feels a bit neglected.”

Using experiences from their own lives, the artists wanted to “really focus the work on the immigrant experience,” considering Delgado is an immigrant himself, McGovern said. The orange industry, a huge part of the city’s history, supported many native and immigrant families in Redlands, for example.

“We have a series of photographs of fences when I was wandering through the neighborhood,” he added. “Another aspect is the orange industry, which, of course, was the major industry here for so long and supported so many people, immigrants as well as locals.”

The exhibit features a series of photographs of neighborhood fences, including an image of a woman standing outside her fenced-off home. She is known around her neighborhood as its “viejita,” or “old lady,” who knows the community like the back of her hand and keeps an eye out for any wrongdoing.

“They are basically the guardians of the neighborhoods,” Delgado said of the viejitas. “You always think of the barrios as (a place for) hoodlums and gang members, but you don’t think of the strong women of the neighborhood.”

He and McGovern will talk about the exhibit and their approach to the project during an opening reception 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. today at the gallery, located on Colton Avenue east of Larsen Hall on the university campus. “Fences” can be viewed 1 to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday through Feb. 15. Admission is free.

Delgado and McGovern say they hope to reach a broad audience with “Fences,” which they’d like to move to a new location after Feb. 15. Plans have not yet been finalized.

“The great part of this was being able to step into this community of Redlands,” said McGovern, “and look at (it) with a fresh set of eyes and see it as a new, different kind of place and how important this part of the community is and create artwork of it.”

Delgado agreed.

“Some people see dandelions as weeds and some people see dandelions as flowers,” he said. “We see the north side as a flower. It’s just as beautiful as something else. There’s great food. There’s great things going on.”