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The US-Mexico border fence on the Tohono O'odham Reservation in
southern AZ/northern
Sonora.
A sketch for the Tohono O'odham border fence
transplanted to the UMass Amherst campus as a construction site. In this new
fiction, a 400-foot-long construction zone is wrapped with mesh banner
advertising the "fence to come". Sounds of construction equipment and
helicopters flying over the homes of Tohono O'odham emanate from a vent in the
ground. A campus map kiosk is re-purposed to orient the visitor to a new
geography.
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The Border Crossed
Us
A temporary public art installation by the Institute for Infinitely
Small Things on the UMass Amherst campus. Sponsored by the University Museum of
Contemporary
Art.
April 20th – May 1st, 2011
Opening Ceremony: Wednesday, April 20, 2011
www.thebordercrossed.us
The Border Crossed Us transplants the US-Mexico border fence in
southern Arizona to the UMass Amherst campus in the form of a 400-foot-long
photographic mural and sound installation emanating from a vent in the ground.
In addition to the installation, the Institute for Infinitely Small Things has
co-organized programming with the Anthropology Dept, the Native American Studies
Certificate Program, and Artists in
Context.
From April 20 to May 1st, the UMass Amherst campus will be divided
along its North-South boundary by a to-scale photographic replica of the vehicle
fence that runs along the international boundary in southern Arizona/Northern
Sonora. The particular stretch of fence being represented was erected in 2007 by
Homeland Security and now divides the Tohono O’odham Nation – the second largest
Native American reservation in the country – into two parts.
What happens when we divide a territory that the community imagines as
contiguous? How does the international border in Arizona, seemingly remote from
a college campus in northern New England, touch all of our lives here? More
info: www.thebordercrossed.us.
Commissioned by the University
Museum of Contemporary Art at UMass Amherst.
Please direct press inquiries to Eva Fierst 413-545-1176/efierst@art.umass.edu
Schedule of Events
Wednesday, April
20
Opening Reception 3:30 PM
The Border Crossed Us site between Campus Center and
Campus Parking
Garage
Artist Talk 4:45 PM Studio Arts Building, Room 240
In Conversation: Catherine D’Ignazio, Ofelia Rivas, Susan
Jahoda, UMass Professor of Art, and Mario Ontiveros, UMass Professor of Art
History.
The talk will investigate public art practices, social activism, and
the visualization of
borders.
Friday, April
22
Native Studies Symposium: Herter Hall 227, 3 PM – 7
PM
Indigenous Sovereignty Panel talk 3 – 4:30 PM with
Ofelia Rivas (Tohono O'odham), Solomon Rockibear (Maliseet), Tom Porter
(Mohawk), and moderator Ramona Peters (Director, Cultural Survival Board,
Cambridge
MA).
Reception
following
Saturday, April
23
Powwow, 10:00 – 6:00 PM Curry Hicks Cage.
Tours of the Border, 11AM & 2:30 PM Virtual
Tours of the US-Mexico border fence at the Project Site. Led by Ofelia Rivas
& Flora Marietta (Tohono O'odham) and Catherine D'Ignazio (the Institute for
Infinitely Small Things). Co-organized with Artists in
Context.
Flute Performance, 6:30 PM Red Cedar flute
performance at the Project Site by renowned musician, DJ and activist Tiokasin
Ghosthorse of the Cheyanne River
Sioux
All events are free and open to the public
This project was made possible by the Berkshire Taconic Foundation,
New England Foundation for the Arts, Artists in Context, the RISD Professional
Development Fund, Technomad and the University Museum of Contemporary Art at
UMass Amherst.
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