Collaboration with Marta Byrdziak.
Each year thousands of people die
crossing a border in search of a better life, either fleeing from a
dangerous situation or seeking financial security for their families. In
2020, a photo emerged of the lifeless bodies of a father and his
toddler daughter, drowned crossing the Rio Grande from Mexico the United
States. Their tragic end was a reminder of the risks migrants face on
their journeys across political borders, a reminder that was swiftly
forgotten. The Crossing is a memorial to those who have lost their lives
searching for sanctuary, of those who have perished because of feudal
immigration laws made by those whom have benefited most from exploitative
systems.
The skulls are engraved in delft blue and white, each
of different size in reference to a parent and child. The engravings on
the larger skull reveal imagery of ignorant and stereotypical views of
immigrants, depicting violence and criminality, and the border wall
between the US and Mexico. The engravings on the smaller skull reveal
imagery of childish innocence and reference the migrant detention
centers of the U.S. where children are separated from their families.
