The Great Divide
When it comes to politics, it seems that for the United States, we are more polarized and divided than ever. Each day, people becomes more steadfast in their political beliefs and have entrenched this part of their being into their identity and personal cultures.
The topic of immigrants and refugees sparks a lot of debate and heated opinions on what we as a country should and should not do. Millions of people around the world have fled their home countries due to war and conflict. Where these people can and should go to and what happens to them are questions we can't seem to answer. And its not just the U.S - many other countries as well face similar internal conflicts when it comes to immigration policy.
Challenging immigration policies and refugees are not new phenomenons. While, the rate of refugees continues to increase dramatically each year, this has been an issue across the globe for centuries. Above is an installation from 2016 in the Fort Point Channel in Boston. Meant to evoke the global refugee crisis, 20 generic people, painted "safety" orange float in the Fort Point Channel. Boston has a long history of welcoming immigrants and this piece of public art might serve as a reminder of the magnitude of displaced people. Is it possible to see ourselves as one of the orange people swimming to safety? What will come of these orange travelers as they bob in the water?
Who and what we see in film and media can frame our view of the world. The news media never talks about people who are crossing the U.S.- Mexico border as being indigenous or native people. The Repellent Fence challenges the popular understandings of the U.S.-Mexico border in a way that maybe cannot be understood through traditional means. By re-framing how we understand our ideas on borders and the people who live beyond them, we might be able to re-frame our ideas on immigration policy. The media can be a powerful to support important, innovative ideas, but it can also create the dangerous "us vs. them" narrative fueled by misinformation, ignorance, and fear.
Where we come from and how we relate to the land and place impacts our lives. Trough public art projects like Good Fences Make Good Neighbors, The Repellent Fence, and When Faith Moves Mountains we get a glimpse at how socially engaged art can function as a catalyst for change and facilitate dialogue among the divided.
The topic of immigrants and refugees sparks a lot of debate and heated opinions on what we as a country should and should not do. Millions of people around the world have fled their home countries due to war and conflict. Where these people can and should go to and what happens to them are questions we can't seem to answer. And its not just the U.S - many other countries as well face similar internal conflicts when it comes to immigration policy.
SOS (Safety Orange Swimmers) Photo © A+J Art+Design |
Who and what we see in film and media can frame our view of the world. The news media never talks about people who are crossing the U.S.- Mexico border as being indigenous or native people. The Repellent Fence challenges the popular understandings of the U.S.-Mexico border in a way that maybe cannot be understood through traditional means. By re-framing how we understand our ideas on borders and the people who live beyond them, we might be able to re-frame our ideas on immigration policy. The media can be a powerful to support important, innovative ideas, but it can also create the dangerous "us vs. them" narrative fueled by misinformation, ignorance, and fear.
Where we come from and how we relate to the land and place impacts our lives. Trough public art projects like Good Fences Make Good Neighbors, The Repellent Fence, and When Faith Moves Mountains we get a glimpse at how socially engaged art can function as a catalyst for change and facilitate dialogue among the divided.
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