Introduction

Welcome to Art on Both Sides of the Wall.

At its best, art can bring awareness and new perspective. It can give voice to the voiceless multitudes, propel its viewers to action or provide a moment of quiet amidst a tumultuous world.

The Mexican-American border, with its numerous illegal crossings and militant guards, illegal Mexican labor in the United States and the poverty level wages and ill-treatment that go along with Mexican labor, as well as the U.S. funded border wall, is subject of much controversy.

The recent economic dive; U.S increase of border control; the dual government crackdown on drug traffic and resulting drug wars has created a more dangerous and violent border.

Many artists from either side of the border, inspired to work on account of the many injustices, are creating a body of work that speaks to the issues, the events, the politics, the dangers and the human toll at the border.

With Art on Both Sides of the Wall, I aim to compile as many images and interviews with artists that I can, to create a portrait of the border.

--Michelle