partition

PARTITION : DESIGNING A CONVERSATION

Using Design to Spark a Conversation about the US/Mexico Border.

The US/Mexico border is the most frequently crossed border in the world. The US and Mexico have always had a symbiotic relationship through commerce, agriculture,employment and culture. The Department of Homeland Security is campaigning to build a physical wall dividing the US and Mexico to eliminate undocumented entry into the US. The border wall or “wall of shame” serves as a physical, mental and symbolic barrier between the US and Mexico. The essential communication between the US and Mexico will be severed by the impending border wall.

Partition sparks conversation about the physical, mental and symbolic borders that exist between the US and Mexico. A gallery is the initial conversation setting because it is even ground where people can vocalize their views, opinions and experiences about the US/Mexico border. The “white walls” of a gallery serve as a clean canvas, free of any preconceived notions concerning the border and offer an opportunity to view the issue with fresh eyes. The installation will consist of wallpaper, a table, two chairs, dishware and flatware that all call attention to the problems of putting borders on single entities and blocking their natural flow. Patrons will have an opportunity to purchase a Partition souvenir in the gallery gift shop, which will facilitate the US/Mexico dialogue outside of the gallery setting. Proceeds from the sale of the souvenirs will go to the Border Angels organization, which consists of a group of volunteers that help prevent deaths along the US/Mexico border.