In the alternate universe of the 16th century novel, Las Sergas de Esplandian, Garci Rodriguez de Montalvo tells of a fabled California—a loutish paradise island where men are eaten by griffins and women roam, governed by the warrior queen, Calafia. Organized by the MexiCali Biennial, contemporary artists from both sides of the border draw from the story of Calafia to create powerful pieces that comment on the region and such issues as indigenous rights, gentrification, feminism, and misogyny. —E.C.