Friday, November 20th 2020

The history of the US-Mexico border

This document is an extract from a documentary about the history of the US-Mexico border. We hear a voice over and a historian, named Lorenzo Mayor. They explain the conflict between Mexico and the USA. The border was created in 1848, after the war between the USA and Mexico. This is when the borderline began to take shape, it was drawn in 1853 because there is not any natural border. In fact, American soldiers captured Mexico city and they raised the American flag. So Mexico lost 55% of its national territory. As a matter of fact, Mexico’s Northern border has always been a conflict zone with the USA. 

Today, this zone is in fact California and Texas. 

The two countries have always been enemies because there are vast differences like culture, race and religion. 

This border is currently 3000 kilometers long.

Monday, November 16th 2020.

A tender-eyed baby peers over the fence that divides the border between the United States and Mexico. The monumental black and white installation dominates the wall and is the work of French artist JR, and is located near the Tecate border crossing in Baja California. This is the first piece by the French artist in Mexican territory and in his words, is the result of a dream he had over a year ago. Upon arriving in Tecate, a local family opened the doors of their home to him and allowed him to work in their garden. At the time, his purpose was not yet clear to him but he saw a picture of a one-year-old baby which finally inspired him. JR soon knew how this would be translating the border. This installation joins several artistic interventions that have been made along the wall. In January, a group of Japanese artists calling themselves Chim Pom built a tree house on the border in Colonia Libertad, one of the oldest neighbourhoods in Tijuana. That same month, artist Ana Teresa Fernandez erased the border wall by painting a section of it stretching out into the ocean in azure blue. In addition, the local artist and director of the Tijuana House of Art, La Casa Del Túnel, Enrique Chiu, has been working for more than a year on what he calls the mural of the brotherhood, inviting anyone wanting to write positive messages of brotherhood to do so along one section of the wall. 

Friday, November 13th 2020.

Along the border between the USA and Mexico, several artists created works of art. This report focuses more particularly on a black and white installation made by JR, a French artist who built his first piece of art in Mexico. This artwork is a monumental baby looking south. He met a local family in Mexico and they opened their door to him and offered their garden. He had a dream and he saw a picture of a baby. Then he got the idea for this work of art. This is in Baja California, near the border with Mexico, near the city of Tecate.

Other artists are also quoted, like a Japanese artist named “Chim Pom” who built a tree house. Another artist, Ana Teresa Fernandez painted the wall in blue to make it look like the ocean and to make the wall disappear. Another work of art allows people to write positive messages on sections of the wall.