In response to the surge of international border walls being built, my performance Tow at White Box in New York City tried to illustrate our propensity as human beings to continue to create division amongst ourselves by weaponizing religion, sexual preference, skin color, and nationalism instead of finding ways to coexist with one another peacefully.
I was joined together with fellow artist Basem Hassan by a chain that was threaded through a wall that separated us.
Over the course of 4 hours, we both attempted to pull away from each other to create distance which in turn, resulted in a never-ending stalemate. Two security cameras and monitors were placed on either side of the wall so we could keep watch on one another. On top of the wall, fake glass vases were placed on a shelf that would fall to the floor and shatter as the wall shook. Innocent and fragile lives are involved.
I was joined together with fellow artist Basem Hassan by a chain that was threaded through a wall that separated us.
Over the course of 4 hours, we both attempted to pull away from each other to create distance which in turn, resulted in a never-ending stalemate. Two security cameras and monitors were placed on either side of the wall so we could keep watch on one another. On top of the wall, fake glass vases were placed on a shelf that would fall to the floor and shatter as the wall shook. Innocent and fragile lives are involved.
